Burn Beautiful
by effection
Summary: After Bella is turned, a million problems arise. The werewolves are furious, Victoria is still thirsty for revenge, and suddenly, Edward and Bella's relationship takes an unexpected turn, bringing them somewhere neither of them have gone before.
1. Torment

**Burn Beautiful**

**Chapter One**

There was the pain. Icy fire running ever so slowly through my veins, burning its way from the inside out and all I could do was scream. It was agonizing, excruciating, so unbearable that I cried out to Edward and asked him to stop it. It couldn't be worth it, this torture in my neck, gripping at my throat.

I couldn't hear myself anymore, but I knew that I was screaming. My vision blurred and I could barely make out Carlisle's shape in the corner of the room or Edward, sitting next to me with an anguished look on his face.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he was saying, running a cool hand down my face. I couldn't hear what he was saying, exactly, but I craned my head up into his palm. Anything to put out the fire.

My hands thrashed against the ropes holding me down as the torture continued on to my shoulders.

_It's not worth it! Make it stop! Put it out! Please…_

Seconds felt like hours and hours felt like days. I had no sense of time, anymore. All I knew was the explosions everywhere in my body, ripping me open then sealing me closed. I was a fool to think I could take it. I really was.

Sleep was out of the question. I would've welcomed sleep. There was only pain, searing flames shooting everywhere. Horrific pain.

………

_Charlie was absolutely livid._

_"WHAT WERE YOU _THINKING_!" he shouted, louder than I've _ever_ heard his voice go. Edward tightened his icy grip on my hand and I resisted the urge to hide behind him._

_"OF ALL THE _RECKLESS, STUPID, IRRESPONSIBLE_ THINGS TO DO! Driving a damn _motorcycle_ without a license, jumping off cliffs, disappearing, HONESTLY! It's like you're begging to go to Jacksonville!"_

_He was pacing, wearing down the kitchen tiles. At this point, I didn't know who was speaking to me. Charlie the police chief or Charlie the father._

_Charlie froze and glared at Edward._

_"You," he snarled, pointing. Edward stiffened beside me. "Out! Out, now!"_

_I opened my mouth to protest until I felt his cool breath against my ear. He whispered, "I'll be in your room," too low for my father to hear, swiftly kissed my cheek, then disappeared behind me._

_Being alone with my father was not good. The way he was glaring at me as if his eyeballs could make my head implode was also not good._

_"I'm sorry?" I offered. "I'll never do it again. Promise."_

_"Bella…" his tone was controlled and very scary._

_"It was a long time ago!"_

_"Just…go up to your room."_

_That was unexpected. Yelling, yes. Threatening, of course. Stripping away of all rights and freedoms, definitely. But this resigned tone as if he had completely and absolutely given up on me?_

_"Dad…"_

_"Enough, Bella. I don't know what to do with you anymore. Just go. Now."_

_I felt the tears blurring up my vision as he turned away from me and moved to drop himself onto the couch. He looked tired and defeated. This was the worst punishment. Before I disappeared up the stairs, I paused. "I really am sorry," I whispered, softly._

_Edward was sitting on my bed and I flung myself at him. His cold body felt reassuring and I buried my face in his chest, trying to keep the tears from falling._

…………

_I didn't call Jacob until two days later. Truthfully, I had no clue what I would say, but I dialed the number anyway. Billy picked up and it took all I had to not scream in frustration._

_"I need to talk to Jacob."_

_I could practically see him rubbing his forehead and shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Bella. He's - "_

_"No!" I snapped, "I really need to talk to him!"_

_"He's not here, I'll tell him you - "_

_There was a few muffled voices and the sound of the phone getting passed over. Hm. This was definitely promising._

_"Bella?" I smiled at the familiar voice, then remembered I was supposed to be angry. I decided to get straight to the point._

_"We need to talk."_

_Pause._

_"Do we?"_

_"Yes."_

_This standstill was more than nerve-wracking. I tightened my grip on the phone._

_"Is he there with you?" _Edward?

_"Jake - "_

_"Is he?"_

_"No," I sighed. "But this has to do about _us_. Edward's not a part of this."_

_He laughed, bitterly, "Yes, he is. Him and all those blood-suckers. You just don't want to see it."_

_"You're my best friend, Jake," my voice cracked. "You promised…"_

_"I'm sorry. It's hard, you know. I always knew you'd end up choosing him if it came down to that, but it's different when it's just,… I'm sorry."_

_"I didn't - "_

_"Yeah, you did."_

_I didn't know what to say. Had it been cruel of me? To lead him on, string him along, then… _

_"We still need to talk," I insisted. I heard him inhale deeply and sigh._

_"Okay," he finally agreed._

_"I can't go down to La Push, so - "_

_"Just make sure your precious blood-sucker isn't there and I'll be around in a few hours."_

_I nodded before realizing he couldn't see me._

_"Sure," I told him. Then, as an afterthought, "You know, Charlie hates me now."_

_He chuckled softly, "I am sorry about that. Deeply."_

_"You're forgiven. Don't make me wait long."_

_"Never," he promised then hung up._

…………

_Edward didn't look ready to leave anytime soon and I was getting frantic. Why did it have to be so hard? I understood there was history, myths, natural hate towards natural enemies, but still. It was selfish of me, I know, but I wanted it all. My vampire boyfriend, my werewolf best friend…_

_"Bella," his strained voice tore me away from my thoughts. "Whatever you're thinking, stop it. I'm serious."_

_I gave him the sharpest look I could, but all he did was raise his eyebrows. He was completely unrelenting, completely infuriating,… completely beautiful._

_"He's wont hurt me," I carried on, tearing my eyes from his face. It wouldn't do any good arguing with him when he looked the way he did. "Edward…"_

_"You can't know that. I know he wont _want_ to hurt you, but you can't honestly know that he wont."_

_"You're impossible."_

_I felt his cold hands circle my wrist and let him pull me onto his lap. Not that I could have resisted, but I still liked to think that I had some say in how he handled me._

_"Just an hour," I looked up at him, biting my lip and hoping he'd just relent. "That's all I want."_

_His topaz eyes hardened, glistening with annoyance and a hint of anger. I felt his arms tense around me, holding me even closer against his chest._

_"I don't like it," he sighed into my hair, resting his chin at the top of my head. I smiled._

_"I'm sorry you don't like it," I murmured, lightly following a white vein down his alabaster arm. He started to speak, but I stopped him. "But I'm not sorry for seeing my best friend."_

_He scowled down at me and clamped his mouth shut. I traced the angry set of his lips with a finger and rolled my eyes as he glared._

_"And I thought _you_ were the one that was a million years old…"_

_"Hey!" He protested, pulling back. Suddenly, his head shot up and his body was as rigid as an arrow. His eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared, breathing a scent that I realized was probably Jacob Black, pulling up in that Volkswagen of his... _

_Edward slowly turned and fixed me with a penetrating look. Ah, if looks could kill._

_"When you said you wanted to see …" he exhaled sharply, still glaring, "You didn't happen to mean right _now_, did you?"_

_I managed to look sheepish. "Actually…"_

_He growled, making me want to cringe. Without a word, he dumped me onto the bed and disappeared out the bedroom window._

So much for that.

_ I answered the door before Jacob could ring the doorbell. He stood there with his hand in the air, finger pointed out, looking completely exhausted. _

_"You're a mess," I stated, stepping aside so he could come in. He shot me a withering look and sniffed the air. I didn't have to be staring up at his face to see the resentment in it. _

_"And I hate the way you smell. We're even."_

_I should have known this wouldn't be easy, but still. This was Jacob. Jake, best friend, werewolf be damned._

_Jacob tensed and his nostrils flared. "He's outside," he glared, fisting his hands at his side._

_"He wont interrupt."_

_He snorted and trudged toward the kitchen._

_"You know, it doesn't change anything," I continued, staring at his back. "You're still my best friend."_

_"You're wrong. It changes everything. He's a /I _vampire_ I , Bella."_

_I frowned. "But the Cullens don't eat humans. I know them. They're good."_

_"You're so naïve," he said without looking at me as he poked his head into the refrigerator. "Just because they're not feeding on humans doesn't erase their nature. They're blood-suckers. It's what they do, it's what they need. You're just blinded by a pretty face and a few nice words."_

_"I thought you knew me better than that."_

_He slammed the fridge door shut. "They're predators, Bella! How can you not see that? It's what they ARE, it's what they'll always BE. They're the… damn string on a violin! It's only a matter of time before they snap and I wonder who's neck they'll be snapping on!"_

_"You want to talk about time? How's three hundred years of tightening that string. Seems like pretty strong string to me."_

_"Why did the Cullens leave in the first place, Bella?" his voice taunted me and I froze. How could he know that? I didn't tell him… He scoffed, not waiting for my answer. "And you want to become one of them?"_

_Time seemed to freeze and finally, he broke down. "Please don't," he pleaded, falling into a kitchen chair, "Don't do it, Bella. Promise me."_

_I turned away._

_"I told you already. It's none of your business."_

_"The treaty - "_

_"That damned treaty."_

_"Bella - "_

_Suddenly, he froze and shifted his gaze to the door. Edward was standing there, arms folded firmly across his stiff chest, his face contorted into a deadly look._

_Jacob bristled and rose to his feet, stretching to his full height. He looked from Edward to me then back again before shaking his head in disgust, pushing past me to stalk out of the house. Edward nimbly moved and was at my side in less than a second before Jacob slammed the door as he left._

…………

Sometimes the memories haunted me in the midst of the fire in my body. But even as I watched the scenes float past my mind, I screamed.


	2. Graduation

**Disclaimer: **Edward is mine. Mine to play with, mine to poke, mine to dress up… sigh. Gah. Just kidding , I own nada.

**Full Summary (I don't think I got around to this in the last chapter): **Continuation of New Moon. Being a vampire comes with it's own problems: newfound bloodlust, untried strength, never-ending fights between natural vampire will and human conscience. Edward and Bella's relationship takes a completely new turn as challenges fly their way. Namely, a pack of furious werewolves and a certain vampire named Victoria, who's still set on vengeance and, this time, gains some powerful followers determined to end Bella, vampire or not, and do as much damage to Forks as possible.

**Ch 2: Graduation**

I think I've gone blind. It's possible, isn't it? The fire's reached my head and I can feel my eyes start to water. My vision's already been lost for a while.

"Edward," I scream. At least, I think I scream. At this point, I don't know what I'm saying. I can barely hear myself or feel any part of my body. No. I can feel… I can feel the pain killing me from the inside out.

Something frozen strokes my neck. _Edward. _It's a temporary relief.

Now the pain's set in again.

………

_**Flashback: Graduation**_

Graduation was a glorious day. I had actually made it through high school, which turned out to be quite a relief. Renee was upset that she and Phil couldn't make it up, but she had sent a long, excited email the night before detailing plans for the summer that apparently included Jacksonville, traveling, and boats. Charlie seemed prouder than ever, even going as far as fishing out a suit and tie for the happy occasion.

I was just happy I made it through in one piece.

The cloudless sky was the only thing that dampened my mood. It meant that Edward and Alice couldn't make it to the outdoor graduation. They didn't seem to mind - what was one more graduation out of a bucketful? - but _I _did.

"Take pictures," Edward had just shrugged as I complained that morning. He ignored my glare and grinned, "It's not all that important anyway. I've graduated more times than I can count."

I shot him a scathing glance. "It's important for me. It'll be my first one."

His face suddenly darkened and I knew he was contemplating what would happen after graduation. Or probably searching for a way to change my mind.

Graduation itself went smoothly. I even walked up the stage and received my diploma without stumbling over the podium. Edward would have been proud of me.

Charlie kidnapped my camera and it became a permanent fixture over his face as he snapped picture after picture of nobody but me.

"That's really enough," I complained, getting annoyed as the flash blinded me for the millionth time.

He shook his head and snapped another. "You only graduate once."

His words made me freeze and I smiled, stiffly. The guilt hit me as suddenly and as swiftly as an icy snowball. This could quite possibly be the last time I saw him as… a human. Just thinking about that made my stomach churn.

"I love you, Dad," I blurted, tripping over my gown as I moved to hug him. He steadied me and looked at me curiously which only made me squeeze him harder. I could feel the tears coming and held my breath trying to control them.

"Your friends are watching," he chuckled.

"I don't care."

"Oh. Are you feeling okay?"

I laughed and nodded. "Perfect, actually."

A voice shouted my name. I twisted around to see Mike making his way through the crowd, waving a yearbook and a pen in his hands. Charlie stepped away from my embraced and patted my shoulder awkwardly.

I didn't want to leave him, but I turned to Mike anyways.

"Hi," he grinned and held up his yearbook. "Sign? I need hard evidence that I actually knew you once upon a time."

"Evidence?" I furrowed my eyebrows, not sure what he was talking about.

"Of course. My kids will never believe me when I tell them that I was friends with the prettiest girl in school."

My blush reached my ears and I gaped at him, completely flustered. His smile told me he was teasing. "Hardly," I muttered, scrawling a quick message inside the front cover.

I gave it back to him and we stood there, facing each other for a few uncomfortable seconds.

"Well…" I started, then stopped. I had no idea what to say.

"Well," he agreed with a short laugh. Then he stepped up and wrapped an arm around me in a quick hug. "Keep in touch, Bella. Okay?"

"Sure."

I doubted that I _would_ keep in touch, but there was no need to tell him that. He waved and jogged off to find somebody else.

"See,_ there's_ a boy I wouldn't mind you seeing," Charlie spoke up from behind me. I rolled my eyes and started towards the parking lot.

"Bella!" Jessica called and I turned, a little surprised. I saw her walking towards me with Angela and Lauren in tow. Her face was frozen in a smile and for a few seconds, I wasn't sure what she wanted. She hadn't even bothered trying to speak to me that last semester.

"Jess," I greeted.

The three girls stopped in front of me. Angela grinned easily at me and I relaxed. It didn't matter that Lauren was as stony as ever and was glaring holes into the back of Jessica's head.

"There's a party at Tyler's tonight," she said, keeping her smile plastered on her face. "You have to come, last get-together before graduation and all. Can you make it?"

I knew Charlie was listening in and wasn't sure how to answer. There was no chance that I would show up, but "no" didn't seem like an appropriate enough answer.

"I'll try my best," I said carefully. Jessica seemed to accept that and she flapped her wrist in my face as she bounded off.

"Alright then, bye!" she called over her shoulder. I could have sworn I heard Lauren whisper, "Ten bucks says she's a no-show."

Angela touched my arm for a brief moment and we shared one last knowing glance before she left to follow the two of them.

By now, I was anxious to get to the Cullens and I hurried to my truck. Unfortunately, my graduation gown twisted around my legs and I pitched forward, landing on the pavement of the parking lot.

I heard Charlie sigh as I picked myself up.

"You still haven't grown into your feet yet," he chuckled. I snorted, a bit miffed, but he was right. I doubted that I ever would.

………

It was still light outside when I reached the Cullens. My truck groaned to a stop and coughed when I cut the engine, making me wince at the dismally loud sound. It would only be a matter of seconds now…

"How was it?!" Alice appeared by the driver seat's window, opening the door for me.

"Relatively painless," I carefully jumped out, then shot her a pointed look. "Of course, it would've been better if you guys were - "

Alice's glittery laugh cut me off mid-sentence. "Right. It would have been better," she said in a cheery voice, twirling around in the afternoon sun. Her brilliant skin sparkled and flashed, threatening to blind me, but nonetheless, it was hard to_ not_ look at her. "If I went, the townspeople would be chasing me down with pitchforks and torches by now."

I sighed and smoothed down the wrinkles in my jeans. I hadn't really thought about what I would wear after graduation - just threw on whatever I could reach first. Now, comparing my drab T-shirt and old jeans to her fluttering sundress, I wish I had.

"Where's Edward?" I asked, frowning. He should have been down by now.

"With Emmett," she answered, "Hunting."

"I see."

It made sense, too. Suddenly, I was nervous. He was hunting early, which meant that I was really about to be turned. Really,_ really_.Tonight. Possibly by him. _Hopefully_ by him. My palms were unreasonably slick with sweat and my stomach was doing all sorts of dances.

Alice stopped her spinning and looked over.

"Are you nervous?"

"Not really," I lied. At her look, I relented. "Okay, yes. I'm terrified. Not in the way you think, though."

"It's okay," she linked her arm through mine and led me to the house. Well,_ dragged_ me to the house. "If you weren't scared at all, I'd be worried."

The house was strangely quiet when we walked in and I wondered where everybody else was. I could hear my footsteps echoing loudly against the walls of the front hall.

"It just feels so surreal," I murmured, following her up the stairs. "It's like a fantasy."

She looked at me harshly, her golden eyes suddenly darkening.

"It's nothing like a fantasy," her voice was sharp and I flinched. "It's like a nightmare._ Worse, _even."

I assumed she meant the process. Edward told me there would be pain. I remembered how my hand had burned when James had bitten it. It was absolute agony. I stared down at it, taking in the crescent shaped scar.

Alice noticed.

"It's like that," she said, her voice suddenly low. "Except all over. Or, so I heard."

"Fantastic," I muttered, stuffing the hand into my pocket. I just had to remember that this was what I wanted. This was exactly what I wanted. "And I'm guessing a great big dose of morphine is out of the question."

Alice laughed and the mood lightened considerably.

"Nah, you're a big girl," she slapped my back and I nearly fell over. She smiled apologetically. Then she teased, "What's three days of endless torture and pain, anyways?"

"Of course. Piece of cake."

When we reached the top floor, Rosalie poked her head out of her room. Her gorgeous blonde hair hung perfectly over her shoulder and her perfect lips curved slightly into an unsure smile. In times like these, I was happy that she had Emmett. Otherwise, I would probably have less faith in Edward's love for me. To think, he could have had _her…_

"Hello, Bella," she said, her voice soft.

"Hi," I answered. Months later and she was still feeling guilty about nearly sending Edward to his death. It was evident in her careful attitude towards me, no longer angry, but cautious, as if I were a china doll tipped precariously over the ledge of a shelf.

"Emmett and Edward should be back soon," she told me. "Everybody else is setting up."

"Setting up?"

Alice shifted her feet uneasily.

"Just precautions," Rosalie continued. "It's not a big deal. Really."

It seemed like a big deal to me, but I decided not to push it and just nodded.

"Can I see what they're setting up?" I asked. Alice and Rosalie exchanged a quick glance. I wouldn't have caught it had I not been keeping an eye on both of them.

"Well - "

"Bella, dear!" Esme's gentle voice floated towards me. She appeared at the end of the hall and made her way towards me in human speed, stretching both arms out for an embrace. I eagerly hugged her hello.

"Rosalie and Alice were telling me you all were setting something up?" I spoke up, immediately. A trace of a frown appeared on Esme's forehead, but it was wiped off in less than half a second and replaced with a kind smile.

"We are," she sighed. "Come with me, you might as well see it."

As we walked down the long stretch of hallway, she bombarded me with questions about graduation. "How was it? Did you take pictures? Who was the speaker, it wasn't that dreadful Mr.Reeny again, was it? Was the sun too hot? Surely, those caps couldn't have been comfortable in the heat."

I answered what I could and was in the middle of telling her about the excessive photos Charlie had taken when we crossed the threshold into Carlisle's office. The sight I was greeted with shut me up right away.

"What's this?" I questioned, taking in the queen-sized bed next to the wall, the mahogany desk shoved to the side, shackles hanging from the ceiling, rope dangling from the bedposts. "Are we holding somebody prisoner?"

Nobody answered.

"Are we holding _me_ prisoner?"

"Precautions," Rosalie mumbled behind me, repeating herself from a few minutes before.

Jasper finished knotting the rope to the last post of the bed and hovered next to Carlisle at the far side of the room.

"It's for the best," Carlisle smiled kindly.

"Oh. Of course."

I was still puzzled and perplexed, but at that moment, we heard a stampede thundering up the stairs.

"Emmett and Edward," Esme shook her head, disgusted, "Racing again, I suppose."

Edward appeared at the doorway and his face brightened a decimal when he saw me. His bronze hair was disheveled and his white face was unusually flushed.

All too quickly, his warm butterscotch eyes hardened. Whether it was the desperate prisoner-esque bordering on S&M-esque set-up laid out before him or the thoughts of everybody in the room, I couldn't know.

"Edward," I breathed and he was at my side in an instant, sliding a cool arm around my waist.

He pressed a kiss to my forehead and my eyes fluttered shut briefly to savor the feel of his smooth, marbled lips against my overheated skin. He, on the other hand, had his eyes fixed on Carlisle and Jasper.

"What is all this?" his voice was threateningly low and I shuddered. Carlisle straightened.

"It's necessary, Edward. You know that."

"But…" he paused, "Tonight?"

"Yes. As was planned."

Edward dropped his gaze, and lowered his mouth to my ear. "Come with me," he whispered, trailing a finger down my bare arm. I shuddered again, this time for a completely different reason.

I nodded mutely, incapacitated of any and all ability to speak. He led me out of the room, ignoring the looks his family members were giving him.

**(TBC.**

**Throughout the "changing" process, we're going to go through the events up until she actually _gets_ changed. It should be a few more interesting chapters, a few important twists, etc. I hope everybody likes this because I definitely love writing it. Next chapter will be up really soon. I've got the next few all written… I just need to edit.)**


	3. Commitment

Ch 3: Commitment 

_**Flashbacks, cont.**_

We sat facing each other on the leather couch in his room. I tucked in my legs and inched closer to him as he buried his hand in my hair.

"Bella," he said reverently, voice hushed, and I involuntarily inhaled his scent. His breath was sweeter than usual; a sign of a well-fed vampire. A chilly finger traced the tense muscles of my neck down to my collarbone and back up again. "Remember that time when Iasked you if you could have anything in the world, what would it be?"

How could I forget?

"Not sure," I lied. His finger stopped mid-caress and I swallowed. "Then again, I can't really think straight when you're touching me."

I looked up into his delicately carved out face and saw it rife with emotion. The corner of his mouth was pulled up slightly, pleased with how much he affected me, yet his eyes were swarming with sadness, frustration,… hope.

"You told me you wanted_ me_," he murmured, resting both hands on my hips then pulling me roughly to him so I was sprawled on his lap, twisted a bit awkwardly. I straightened out and leaned forward slightly.

"And you told me you meant something I didn't already have?"

"You_ do _remember," he scolded, half-heartedly.

"You thought I forgot?"

"No, you said - " he broke off and glared at me. I smiled innocently and reached up to peck him playfully on the cheek.

"What about that time?" I had a feeling I knew what he was going to ask.

He pulled back and looked at me, tilting his head a bit.

"Have you changed your mind? The offer still stands," his lips quirked up.

"You're all into the marriage deal, aren't you," I sighed.

"I'm 'all into' the_ commitment _deal, you must mean."

"So that's what all of this is about?" I asked, disbelieving. "You think I need to marry you to prove that I'm committed?"

He didn't answer me and I snorted.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I crossed my arms over my chest.

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"Then tell me what you mean."

"You know what I mean!"

I threw up my hands, angry, "No, actually, I don't. Not all of us are blessed with your all-powerful, mind-reading mojo." I poked him in the chest and winced at the sudden burst of pain shooting through my hand. It was like slamming my finger into a stone wall. Hard.

He blinked at my face, contorted in annoyance and pain, and burst out laughing.

"Honestly, Bella," his eyes glittered in amusement, hard rock melting like butter, "And I was afraid of handling you too roughly and hurting you. You take care of_ that_ all on your own."

I glowered and he sighed.

"I_ want_ to marry you," he said, resigned. For the first time since I've known him, his face actually looked_ tired. _As if the life flowing through his dead body actually… drained.

"I _get_ that. You already asked me."

"No, I don't think you do. Bella. I WANT to marry you. Really, truly want to because you make me happy and whole and … and. I love you and I want to be able to call you mine. Now please don't make me go on because this is… embarrassing."

"I am yours. You don't have to marry me to make sure I'm committed, you know. It's unnecessary."

I am, if anything, stubborn. He made a frustrated sound and I frowned.

"I know that, you silly little girl! It's not because I want you to prove anything either because that's beyond lunacy and - why_ don't_ you want to marry me?"

"It's not you, it's me," I said, quickly, then winced. Great. I managed to throw him the all-time, pathetic, cliché break up line when I wasn't even trying to break up with him. Not by far.

"I'm listening."

"It's just. Renee would freak. Oh, come on, you_ know_ everything that happened between her and Charlie."

"Right."

"And, well…" This wasn't very easy for me.

"It blew up in their faces." Apparently, it was very easy for him.

"Precisely."

He thought for a moment, "And yet, we're not them. We're_ us. _You and me, Bella and Edward, klutz and vampire - "

I slapped at him and he grinned, grabbing my hand and holding it in place. I froze, staring at where my hand rested against the hard planes of chest.

"I love you, Bella," he said, his free hand tilting my head up until I met his eyes. "I want to marry you."

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'Oh'…" he flashed me that crooked smile that I loved so much and I started wondering what the question was exactly… oh.

"You're proposing," I accused, my voice weak from the intensity of his gaze. And I was going to say 'yes.'

_Good lord, _I was going to say 'yes!' Somewhere deep inside, I knew I should be panicking, but then I lost myself in his shining eyes and I forgot why I ever even considered saying 'no.' I couldn't deny him anything when he was looking like… that.

"Yes, I am," his voice was husky now, smoldering me. I was completely at his mercy. He could have asked me to jump off a cliff and I would have said 'OK'…

But wait, I've already done that.

He wasn't finished. "I even got the ring this time, too." His hand left my chin and I almost wept at the loss. It disappeared down his pants pocket and reappeared in less than half a second.

Oh god, oh god, oh god. My heart was beating in a frenzy, waiting for a marathon to start.

"Isabella Marie Swan," Edward said slowly, his ethereal face inches from mine. His hand uncovered a rectangular, velvet box and I bit my lip, trying to contain my gasp of excitement. I pried my eyes from the blue velvet and stared into his eyes. The topaz irises glittered and I took a deep breath, inhaling his sweet, sweet smell.

The pause was prolonged and I swore he did it on purpose, just to test how fast my heart _could_ beat. He moved even closer and I was in danger of forgetting how to breathe.

"_Bella_," he said my name again, his voice lower.

I waited, but his next words never came. I stared at his mouth as it opened and closed, as his tongue ran over his lips when he opened it again just to closed it… again.

There was a sudden crunching sound and when I looked down, I noticed that the ring box resting on his palm had somehow acquired a large and unusual dent.

"Sorry… God help me, this is harder than it looks," he muttered and I widened my eyes, looking from the box to his sheepish face.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Why?" I teased, "You already did it once before. Surely, you can do it again."

His eyebrows came together in a frustrated glare.

"That was different," he insisted. I was about to mock him again, but he silenced me with an irritated look. "Just wait a bit."

I couldn't help but feel a little proud. _I _was usually the flustered one, fumbling around for the right word.

Finally, he composed himself.

"Bella, will you marry me?" the words rushed out of his mouth. His white hands manipulated the poor, dented velvet box and opened it to reveal a princess cut topaz stone resting on an entwined white gold band.

I wasn't sure how long I stared at it, but Edward was shifting, uncomfortably in his spot.

"Say 'yes', please?" he begged quietly, "You're making me very nervous."

His matching eyes were burning holes into my face and I nearly sobbed from the intensity of the moment. This was _Edward_. There was only one answer.

"Yes," I whispered, sniffing and wiping at the tears that were now streaming out of my eyes. His hand caught mine and suddenly, the ring was resting on it's proper finger as if it had always been there.

Edward grabbed my face and kissed me on my forehead, my cheeks, my nose, and finally my lips, saying "Thank you," after each destination.

It was painfully sweet and excruciatingly beautiful. My fingers stroked his cheek, barely touching the coldness of his skin. I wanted to burn the memory into my head forever.

There was a sudden commotion at the door and when I wrenched my lips away from his to see what was happening, four very excited vampires toppled into the room.

Well, less _toppling_ and more like gracefully _landing_ on the floor. It was obvious that they heard every single word.

"Go away," Edward growled, but Alice paid him no attention.

"You did it, you big doofus!" she cried, bounding over to the couch to seize my hand. I couldn't keep the happy smile off my face as she squealed in delight. "Oh, Edward, it's marvelous! I _knew _she would love it! You love it, right, Bella?"

"Of course," I beamed, "More than love."

Edward shot me a look and I laughed, leaning over to kiss the hollow of his cheek. Before I could make contact, he twisted his head and redirected me to his lips.

Rosalie settled down beside me to join Alice's inspection of my ring while Jasper and Emmett dropped down next to Edward, laughing and taking turns punching him on the shoulder. At that moment, I knew that they were every much my family as Charlie, Renee, and Phil were. Maybe even more so. Life didn't seem like it could get that much better when…

"When do you want to tell Charlie," Edward suddenly asked me. I froze. Well, I hadn't exactly plannedto _tell_ him anything.

"Oh. We have to?"

_He didn't look pleased with my answer, but he just shook his head, apparently ready to let it slide. For now._


	4. Confessions

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Ch 4: Confessions 

_**Flashbacks, cont.**_

We never got around to changing me the night of graduation. Carlisle and Esme had burst into the room as well and the greater portion of the evening was spent celebrating. Alice and Rosalie took immense pleasure in dragging me off to their vast closet and pushing me until I faced an entire _wall _of dresses.

"What are you doing?" I protested, widening my eyes. Alice sighed, impatiently.

"What do you think?" She asked, both hands wresting on her tiny hips. "You're going to get married in jeans and a T-shirt? Not on my watch."

Still, I couldn't stop staring incredulously at the wedding gowns. There were white ones, off-white ones, satin, lace, strapless, halters, off-the-shoulder numbers that made me blush; it was overwhelming.

"There're so _many_," I gulped.

"Well, of course," Alice sang, attacking hangers here and there, throwing the dresses in my arms. "Rosalie here is the wedding _queen._"

There was no stopping them. After they had used me as a dress-up doll for every single dress - all of which were ridiculously long - they insisted that I learn how to _dance_.

By then, it was near midnight and I begged off, claiming that I was still human and needed to sleep.

"Fine," Alice rolled her eyes, clearly upset. "But don't think you're getting off so easily. The second you wake up - "

"Actually," Edward interrupted her, reaching out to curl his arm around my elbow, "She wont be staying here tonight. I'm taking her home to Charlie."

Alice and I were equally surprised.

"You are?"

"Why - "

"You don't think he deserves to know?" His voice was low and smooth, tinged with a trace of hurt. I took one look at his angelic face, both eyebrows raised, half-amused, half-serious, and sighed.

"Fine," I grumbled, making my way to the door. I didn't notice the look Alice was giving him until I heard a low, angry rumble erupt from the back of his throat.

"It doesn't matter," he told her, his voice icy. "He can't stop us from getting married."

"But - " She stopped and sighed. "Fine. Don't listen. Just don't come running to me when - "

Edward pulled me out of the house before I could hear the rest of her sentence.

"What?" I asked him, stumbling a little at the fast pace he had set. He slowed down and took my hand in his, not answering my question.

"Is this about Charlie?" I prodded, staring at his perplexed face as he opened the passenger door for me. The reflexive tightening of his jaw and the way he refused to look at me told me that it probably was.

As soon as my door was shut, he was getting into the drivers seat. I couldn't help but stare at his upset expression as he started the truck and backed out of the driveway swiftly. Obviously, whatever Alice was thinking - or had _seen _- was bothering him.

I scooted closer to him and he automatically wound a cool, hard arm around my shoulders. His chilly fingers brushed against the top of my arm, making me shiver.

"Are you cold?" he questioned, finally turning to set his eyes on my face. I shook my head and placed my warm hand on top of his cold, larger ones. Our fingers intertwined and I closed my eyes for a brief second, leaning back contentedly.

"You know, he's not going to take this lightly," I said, keeping my voice light and opening my eyes. His jaw twitched.

"It doesn't matter," he repeated what he told Alice.

"You keep saying that," I sighed, nestling my head in the crook of his shoulder and peering up at him from my new vantage point. "But you're forgetting that I know you. What Charlie thinks _does _matter. To you, at least."

His lips pressed into a tight line and he stared at the road before him. I reached up and traced the contours of his face, relishing the solid marble beneath my feather light fingertips.

My fingers moved to his lips, gently trying to pry them loose. His only response was to grunt and shift his head out of my reach.

"Come on," I groaned, straightening myself. "Why wont you talk to me?"

"There's nothing to talk about," he said, removing his arm from my shoulder and steered the truck with both hands.

"Sure there is," I insisted. "Tell me what's bothering you. The fact that Charlie wont approve or the fact that I really don't want to tell him?"

His fingers gripped the wheel tighter. I heard the distinct sound of teeth grinding as he glared, his entire body rigid. Finally, he decided to speak.

"Both."

I waited, but he didn't elaborate.

"I only don't want to tell him because I know how he'll react," I murmured, wrenching my gaze from his face to the rapidly moving world outside my window.

"He can't stand me. He absolutely hates me."

"That's not true," I widened my eyes, a little surprised. He scoffed.

"Yes. It is."

It was true that Charlie didn't exactly approve of my relationship with Edward, but what he was saying didn't make sense. Charlie never hated _anyone_. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe Alice had seen something that …

"Was that what Alice saw?"

A pained look froze over his face and for a short moment, I thought he was going to break down. His expression shocked me and I grabbed his hand on the steering wheel, coaxing it loose and easing it to my lap.

"What's wrong?" I asked, suddenly wondering what _exactly _it was that he was so worried about. It didn't seem like it was about whether Charlie liked him or not.

He shook his head then sighed, slowing down as we neared the turn to my house. My thumb drew gentle circles along the back of his hand, trying to relax him. Before turning onto my street, he suddenly jerked the wheel to the right and parked along the side of the road.

The second the car was still, Edward grabbed me, hurled me against his chest, then pulled me in for a heated kiss. I was more than a little surprised and completely confused, but all coherent thought flew out the window as I gave into the toxic feel of his mouth on mine. When his lips parted, I placed my forearms over his shoulders, curling my fingers against his neck. It would only be a matter of seconds before he inevitably pulled back, forcing the thick air to come between us.

When he finally did pull back, it was because I couldn't breathe, not because of his insistent self-control. As I panted heavily, touching my forehead against his and gasping into his half opened mouth, I cursed the fact that I was human. Who really needed to breathe when the temptation of something so much better was dangling in front of them? Oh right. Humans.

"I'm sorry," he whispered and I felt the warm air of my breath flow from his mouth. Only _Edward _would be sorry for something like a great kiss.

"I'm not."

He pulled back a fraction of an inch, eyes searching mine. I stared back deeply and frowned when I saw something in them that I've never seen before: vulnerability.

"What's wrong?" I asked again.

"I love you," he smiled crookedly, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"I love you, too."

He cupped my face. "That's good to know."

Something was wrong. I didn't know what it was, but it was becoming obvious now that he wasn't going to tell me. Reluctantly, I pulled away and moved back to my seat. After a long gaze, he gunned the engine and shifted back onto the road.

When he turned the corner, I realized what was wrong - or, at least, what I _thought _was wrong.

Jacob Black's Volkswagen Rabbit was parked in front of my house and Jake, himself, was leaning against it, back hunched over, hands stuffed in pockets, and eyes glued to mine.

"Crap," I muttered. Edward didn't say a word as he parked the truck on my driveway. He got out and was helping me undo my seatbelt before I could get another word out.

Jake was already striding towards us, his gait even and sure. As I turned around to face him, Edward wrapped both arms around my waist and pulled me closer so that my back was pressed securely against his chest.

"Bella," Jake said flatly, his voice husky and rough. His eyes flickered to Edward then quickly back to me.

"Jake," I returned. He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it, looking utterly defeated. That wasn't what I wanted. I tried to shake off Edward's hold, but that only made him squeeze harder, silently shouting _'No!'_

"I want - " Jake started, then looked up at Edward again. His eyebrows bunched up into a glare. "I need to talk to you, Bells."

Edward made it clear that he had no intention of letting me go.

"So talk," I told him, trying to make my voice soft and compliant, not wanting to get either of them riled up. Jacob shook his head.

"I meant _privately_."

Well, that was going to be an issue. I did love Jake in my own little way. He was my best friend; he protected me from Victoria, he was there for me when Edward was away, he was _Jake_. I twisted around in Edward's arm and tried to silently make him see all of that. "Edward - "

"No," he said, firmly, looking over my head and glaring at Jacob. I heard a low growl from my best friend and squeezed my eyes shut.

"Please - "

"_No_, Bella," Edward cut me off again, removing his arms from my waist and grabbing onto my hand. "We need to go tell your dad the news."

"What news?" Jacob asked, stepping forward. His face was stony and dark; I had to look away.

Edward didn't answer and started dragging me towards the house.

"Edward, come on," I tugged against him, futilely trying to free myself from his tight grip.

The front door suddenly opened and Charlie appeared at the entrance, squinting out into the dark, probably to see what all the commotion was about. Or maybe he just heard my obnoxiously loud truck.

"Bella!" he called out, surprised. "I thought you were staying at the Cullens."

"I was," I told him, then glanced back at Jacob, who still held himself as rigidly as a rock. "But I needed to - "

Maybe he understood the situation, because he interrupted me, saying "Edward! Why don't you come inside. Bella, talk to Jake, then join us later."

I turned back to see Edward looking from where Charlie stood with his arms crossed at my door, to Jake, who none-too-discreetly wore a triumphant smile, and finally to me. I silently begging him to comply and go inside. The light in his eyes died and he exhaled, slowly.

"_Bella_," he whispered, his face unreadable. "I _know _what he wants to tell you and - "

"Just a few minutes," I said softly. "That's all I need."

Reluctantly, he let go of my hand. Without a word, he swiveled around and stalked off into the house with Charlie, leaving me staring after him and Jake staring at my back.

As soon as Charlie closed the door behind him, Jake spoke up.

"So, I see you're still human."

I whirled around, an unreasonable flame of anger springing up my throat.

"_What?_" I hissed, frozen in place. Did he come over just to fight with me? Jacob's cold gaze softened a bit and he rubbed the back of his neck with his large hand. After a moment, he shook his head, and lowered his gaze to the floor before meeting my eyes again.

"I knew you wouldn't go through with it," he sounded pleased, maybe a little relieved.

"And I thought I told you that it wasn't your problem."

"But it is," his voice was soft, roughened. His face was reserved, carefully hiding emotions from me that he never bothered concealing before. And I wondered when he had grown up. _Really _grown up. If this was a few months ago, I would've laughed lightly and given him twenty years, pushing him up somewhere in the sixties.

Was he still my best friend? Ever since Edward had come back, I've only seen him a few times. During those times, we didn't really talk. There were only accusations and interruptions. I didn't want to lose him, but I knew that the only way I wouldn't would be to lose Edward. And that was something I _couldn't _do.

"Why?" It was an impossible question to ask him, but I did. At first, he looked confused. Then he understood.

"How can you ask me that?" He demanded. "I care about you."

"But not enough to want me to be happy."

"That's not true! I just don't want you to be too friendly with those disgusting creatures!" Jacob's voice was rising and his eyes were livid. "It's dangerous. You just can't _see _it. I don't care if they've got millions of treaties; nothing will change what they are. Nothing. One day, they're going to turn on you and what are you going to do then? I can't protect you if you wont even listen to me.

"And you think I don't want you to be happy?" he continued, truly outraged. "You think I couldn't see what that idiot in there did to you? You think I could stand you unhappy like that? That's what he'll _keep _doing to you, Bella. He'll leave, he'll hurt you, then he'll come back and for a few days, you'll think it's all better, and then he'll do it all over again. That's what people - _creatures _- like him do! They _hurt_. That's all they know how to do."

I stared at him, shocked, as he ranted into the stiff night. For a few seconds, he paused, taking deep breaths and trying to reign in his temper. He seemed to be struggling with himself, slamming down the urge to change in front of me.

"Bella," he said, softer and more controlled this time. "I would _never _hurt you."

I hated seeing his face so anguished. I knew he'd never hurt me; God knew how much I've hurt _him_. And just by being with Edward… it must have hurt him so much.

"I know."

My voice cracked and with a howl, he whirled around and punched the trash can at the end of the driveway, sending it flying down the street. I flinched at the crashing sound of his solid fist on the metal.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. It took him all of two seconds to run to me.

"You don't have to be," his whisper was harsh. Vehement. I shook my head. I knew I had to be.

I never associated Jake with silence, but the entire minute of hushed tension that lapsed told me more than millions of words ever could. He was the first to break it.

"Bella…"

"You don't understand."

He straightened and fisted his hands. "You're right. I don't. I don't know how you could associate yourself with the blood-suckers after all we've been through. All of us; Sam, Embry, Paul, the entire _pack_. We risked our _lives _for you. How could you betray us like that?"

"You don't know anything, Jake," I said, too tired to talk and argue.

"That's - " he stopped and breathed in deeply. A scowl overtook his features and I realized that Edward must have stepped out of the house again.

"I need to go," I sighed. "Maybe I'll see you later." Not likely.

I started to turn away, eager to feel Edward's protective arms around me, when Jake suddenly seized my elbow and crushed me against his chest. Before I could push off, there was a terrible snarl coming from behind and a rapid gust of wind as Jacob tumbled to the pavement. Powerful, cold arms held me steady before I could fall and I realized that Edward was next to me, growling and flashing his blinding teeth at the figure huddled on the ground.

"I thanked you before for taking care of her while I was away," Edward's voice, directed to Jake, was ice cold, making my hairs stand on end. "But now I'll have to ask, or rather, _demand_, that you stay away from her."

I would have protested, but I was too surprised - at Jake's attack and Edward's angry growl - to do much more than widen my eyes.

Jake rose to a crouching stance, slowly, with a steady, low snarl.

"She's my friend and you can't make me stay away," he sneered.

A few seconds passed and the only sounds in the air were the warning rumbles in both of their throats.

"She's my _fiancé _and trust me: I can."

Jake's eyes widened in surprise.

I froze.

Edward stared at Jacob, coldly.

And a cough interrupted the moment for all of us.

"I'm sorry," my father's voice rang out from the front door. We all turned to stare at him. "_What did you say?_"

**Author's Note:**

First thing: I _adore _Jacob. It might not exactly show in this chapter, but I really believe he's a character that loves and cares about Bella. He's just reacting as he _should_ - protective, a little jealous, trying to get her to see _his _end of it - and things get a little out of hand. This isn't a Jacob bashing story; not by far. I just took the elements I read from _Twilight_ and _New Moon_ and tried to see where it would naturally bring the characters, and this is where I saw Jacob and Bella's relationship going. She doesn't want to lose him, he doesn't want her with the vampires, and things don't work out.

This isn't the end of Jacob, either. Remember, in the beginning of this story, Bella was in the process of changing _into_ a vampire, so the role Jacob and the werewolves play will be quite large.

Second (and last) thing: Some of you might be frustrated with me… _I'm _even frustrated with me. _Burn Beautiful's_ going a little bit slower than I intended, but I saw these events as necessary to explain before the end of Bella's transformation. By the next chapter, everything should come full circle and we'll go back to the present time: after her change. That's when the (real) fun begins.

Thanks, thanks, thanks to the people who've reviewed. Criticism is always welcome. I always want to get better.


	5. Kisses

Ch 5: Kisses 

I was walking down a dark hall. But if it was a dark hall, why did I see, smell, and feel the fire surrounding me, covering the walls, the floor, the ceiling? Why was the darkness so black, but the sparks of the fire so visible? Why was the heat getting closer, deceptively gentle at first like a loving caress, then lashing out a scorching punishment? I screamed, yet no sound came out of my mouth. This couldn't be anything else but hell.

_Edward. Edward…_

An icy relief blew across my face and I gasped, reaching up, trying to find where it had come from. _Edward._ I couldn't move my arms.

The shackles circling my wrist were heating rods, promising to leave burn scars. I threw my hands forward, yanking, pushing, pulling, but no matter what I tried, I couldn't free myself. I desperately twisted my sweat soaked head, gasping at the torrid air and tried calling for him one last time.

_Edward, where are you?_

_**Flashback**_

I didn't want to close my eyes, not even for a second. I didn't dare to blink, or else I'd miss something. I'd miss a small quick quirk of his upper lip or maybe a twinkle in the black, blue, and white shades of his eye. We were laying side by side on my bed, facing each other, both over the covers. The moonlight streamed through my window, mercilessly casting shadows here and there, bringing out my flaws, accentuating his perfection, and distorting reality.

"I don't know what you were so worried about," I said in a low voice as to not wake Charlie up. My hand wandered up to his brow, smoothing it out and traveling down his cheek. "Charlie's reaction was … not _that_ bad."

All things considered, his reaction was actually _good_. There had been some yelling, a lot of shock, useless threats, then a resigned sigh of acceptance followed by an ultimatum. _"I wont be the one to tell your mother,"_ he had warned me. The small smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth had given him away as he told me what I was going to do. "_Renee arranged for you to go to Jacksonville next weekend. I'm expecting you _both _to be there. Make sure that when you tell her the news, you have a camera ready. I don't want to miss the look on her face_"his expression had almost been dreamy. "_She'll be horrified!"…_

Edward held my hand where it rested on his face, tilted his head a little and kissed my palm.

"That wasn't what I was worried about," he told me. The gentle breeze of his breath cooled me and I shifted closer to him, not wanting another inch to come between our noses. He rested his arm on my waist and pulled me in until our bodies were almost pressed together.

"Then what was it?" I asked, frowning a little. Edward shook his head.

"It's irrelevant," he kissed my forehead, then took my left hand into his. "It didn't happen."

He started to play with my ring, studying the tiny glints of moonlight reflected off the topaz stone. He pressed a kiss where my finger met my hand and smiled, clearly hoping to distract me.

"_What_ didn't happen?" I insisted, watching his face intently as he pretended to be preoccupied with my finger.

"Nothing you should worry about."

"Edward…"

I pulled my hand away and he pouted, making me giggle a little. His hand ran up and down the side of my tank top, and I couldn't keep back the shivers. With a raised eyebrow and a wicked grin, he attacked me, tickling mercilessly.

"Edward! - no, no, no! - Stop!" I gasped and laughed intermittently between protests and scrambling around, but I never got real far. His arms held me prisoner and just as I was about to plan my escape, he propped himself up over my body and rested his forearms on either side of me, successfully locking me into place.

I glared, trying to be sufficiently angry. It didn't faze him at all. Instead, he swooped down and kissed me lightly on the lips, smiling the entire time.

"Your shampoo smells _divine_," he murmured into my ear, then kissed it, burying his nose in my hair and inhaling deeply. "Not as good as _you_, though. Not nearly as delicious… enticing… intoxicating…"

He peppered kisses down my jaw until he reached my chin. My heart was pounding uncontrollably and it took a great deal of effort on my part to remember how to breathe. In, out, in, out.

"And you don't feel like _biting _me at all?" I tested, moving my arms to loop loosely around his neck. Edward scoffed and rested his cheek against mine.

"I _always _feel like biting you," he whispered. "But I like doing other things better. And to do those other things, it would be in my best interest if you remained _unbitten_."

I frowned.

"Wait, does that mean you aren't going to - "

"Eventually I will," he sighed and I could feel his forehead start to crinkle, probably frustrated with me. "I just want to enjoy this now. You here, alive, breathing, blushing, … I love you."

"Not as much as I love you," I clung onto him tighter, not ever wanting to let go. He rolled back onto his side, then pulled me in so my head rested on his unbeating chest.

I played with the buttons of his ivory, button-up shirt as he ran his hand down my long hair.

"I can't believe you asked me to marry you," I grinned up at him. He smirked, looking proud of himself.

"I can't believe it took you ages to say 'yes'."

"It didn't take ages!"

He rolled his eyes and we lapsed into a contented silence. I closed my eyes and buried my face in his shirt, taking in his insanely mouth-watering scent.

"You should sleep," he spoke softly, his velvety voice caressing my ear.

"Not tired." I suppressed a yawn.

He chuckled and took my hand again, bringing it in front of his face. I smiled as he twisted the ring around my finger, testing how it looked at different angles.

"Maybe I should have gotten a diamond," he muttered, sounding unsure. I gasped, horrified at the idea.

"Stop that," I yanked my hand back and glared up at him, resting my chin on his chest. "I love topaz. I love _this_ ring!"

He laughed softly, satisfied with my reaction.

"I have impeccable taste, then," he teased, taking my hand back in his. I relaxed again.

After a few moments, he spoke up.

"Did you know that the Jacob boy loves you?"

This was the last thing I expected to hear, especially coming from him. I lifted my head again, meeting his hard, annoyed eyes, glaring vaguely in my direction as if it were _my _fault. The small smile on his lips softened the look, marginally.

"Is _that_ what was bothering you before?" I asked, incredulous. His look darkened and the smile disappeared. That told me all I needed to know. "You are _beyond_ ridiculous!"

"I didn't like what was on his mind."

I rolled my eyes at him.

"That's rude, you know," I informed him. "What people have on their mind is private. How would you like it if I wormed my way into _your _brain and unlocked your deepest, dirtiest secrets?"

"I don't keep secrets from you."

It was impossible to contain the very unladylike snort. "And _I'm _the Queen of London."

"England," he corrected.

I shot him a look.

"You didn't seem to mind when I told you why he showed that absurd motorcycle to Charlie," he reminded me. He was right, of course. His mind-reading capabilities were incredibly useful. Edward frowned. "And it wasn't just something he was thinking. It was what he was going to _do_ if I hadn't been there to stop him - "

"What?!"

"He was going to kiss you!" Oh. _Oh…_

"I wouldn't have let him," I tried to erase the look of absolute anger on his face at the mere thought of Jacob even _planning_ to kiss me.

"What could you have done?" he raised an eyebrow. "Jacob's a _werewolf_. You're a human. If he wanted to do something, there would be nothing you could do to stop him."

I couldn't say anything to that. Instead, I wondered, "Why would he do that if he knew you were back? He knows that I care about _you_. He's always known it."

"He doesn't understand what you see in me," Edward looked at me through perplexed eyes. "Sometimes _I _don't even understand what you see in me."

"I'm only in it for the money," I joked, not wanting to touch _that_ one with a ten-foot pole.

"Gold-digger then. I should have known," he muttered, his expression relaxing into a playful smile. "Albeit, gold-digger who refuses to let me buy her a car or spend _anything_ on her for that matter. You're not very good at it."

He laughed at the scowl that appeared on my face.

"Jacob's my friend," I said, bringing him back to the more important topic at hand. He made a face, obviously not pleased with the subject change. "He wouldn't just _kiss _me like that if he knew I didn't want it."

"_Did_ you want it?"

My jaw dropped open and when I indignantly tried to push away from him, he grabbed my waist.

"Are you _serious_?!" I hissed, angry. "How can you ask me that?"

"I'm sorry," he sounded distressed and his dark eyes bore into mine. His hand circled my wrist and I tried to yank back, still furious. "Don't be upset."

"_Upset?_ Oh, I'm not upset. That's the understatement of the century for what I feel right now."

"I know you didn't want it," Edward sighed, holding fast to my arm. "I just couldn't - when I saw what Alice was seeing… I never thought it would hurt so much."

"Alice saw - "

He nodded, releasing me and moving to rub his hand over his face, taking a long, shuddery breath. I tried to picture Edward with another girl in my head and found that I couldn't.

"Remember that first night back from Italy?" He asked me, suddenly. "You thought you were having a nightmare when you woke and saw me here - "

"I didn't think it was a _nightmare_," I protested. He gave me a look and continued.

"I said something about me being okay if you ever outgrew me - that I wouldn't stand in the way. I said I wouldn't stop you if you moved on," He paused.

"And," I prompted.

"Well that's not entirely true."

"What do you mean - "

"I thought that if you ever outgrow us, outgrew _me_, I'd let you go. I - I realize I was wrong," he reached up to press his knuckles gently against my temple and slowly stroked up and down as if memorizing everything he touched. "I can't let you go. It would be impossible. I love you too much; I don't know what I'd do. I mean, if you really couldn't stand me anymore, I wouldn't stand in your way. But - "

"Shh," I pressed a finger against his lips, stilling their movements. "I'm not going anywhere."

For a long time, he just looked at me, his eyes shining with something more than love, but darkened by some unexplainable sadness that only he would ever know. After an intense few minutes, he pulled me back towards him and held me close.

We didn't talk much after that and I couldn't deprive myself of sleep any longer. With my back pressed up against his chest, my head tucked under his chin, and his arm over mine, wrapped around my waist, I drifted off, feeling safer than I've felt in a long time.

_Sun streamed through the tall, stained glass windows, casting colorful gleams here and there, dancing off the pews, the alter, the cross. I walked down the middle aisle, dragging my fingers across the wooden seats on either side of me. Something about the church made it seem familiar… as if… _

_There was Edward, less than fifteen steps away, looking like he had stepped out of a melancholy painting left behind in the Romantic era, beautiful in a black suit with coattails. His arms were clasped behind him and his eyes were shining brightly, a light amber color, almost yellow in the light._

_"Edward…" I think I whispered._

_"The wedding's started, love," my Edward smiled, gesturing at the large, medieval clock next to him. The pendulum started to swing and deep chimes echoed suddenly across the sanctuary, reverberating off the stone walls and glass windows, shaking the world._

_"No!" I cried as the chiming grew louder and louder. "Make it stop! NO!"_

_"Bella!" a familiar voice shouted out behind me and I whirled. Jake?_

_There he was, standing tall, his face as warm as ever. His arms were held out and he smiled widely when I caught his eye._

_"Bella," he took a step closer to me. "I need you…"_

_"No!" I whirled around as Edward shouted. "Bella, come here right now!"_

_No. Not here… not now…_

_"No, Edward… let me talk to him."_

_Jacob growled. "Yeah. Let me talk to her."_

_They simultaneously took a menacing step closer to me. I looked at both of them, desperately; Edward at the prayer table, Jacob blocking the exit._

_"Come on, Bella. I just want to talk."_

_"No, Bella! He's not stable! He's not in control…"_

_"Bella - "_

_"Don't go. Don't leave me - "_

_"Please, Bella."_

_I screamed, burying my face in both hands and shaking my head, trying to jar myself awake from this very obvious nightmare._

_"NO! STOP!" I shrieked. _

_Why were my hands burning? When had it gotten so hot? I looked up and both of them were gone._

_All I could see was fire…_

_"Bella…"_

_No…_

"Bella! Bella, wake up!"

I opened my eyes slowly and saw two faces in front of me. I recognized Edward's right away. His forehead was creased and his topaz eyes were filled to the brim with frantic worry.

The other face took me a few seconds longer to process.

"Bella?"

"Alice?"

"Yeah," she nodded. I tried to focus again, but the entire world was starting to blur. The room around me started to fade again as I closed my eyes, but something was shaking my shoulder, jarring me awake.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Alice said gently. A soft urgency lined her voice and I sat up slowly. Edward put an arm across my back, steadying me. They shared a look. One of _those _looks.

"What's the matter?" I asked, frowning.

Alice took a deep breath and Edward looked away, pained.

"Bella, the Volturi are on their way - "

"What?!"

"We thought Aro would send Demetri - the hunter, do you remember? But he changed his mind and decided to send Felix instead," Alice started explaining. "I saw it just this morning… Felix has already left and he's on his way. When he gets here, he'll expect you changed - or else…"

"How long do we have?" I asked, my voice a hushed whisper. Edward's jaw twitched and Alice glanced at him before returning her ocher eyes to my face.

"One day, give or take an hour or two."

I froze. I should have been ecstatic, but all I could feel was panic. There wasn't enough time. Charlie… I was supposed to fly to Jacksonville next week to tell Renee about Edward and … the timing was all wrong. Charlie was expecting me to be around until the end of the week! He was expecting to fly with me to Florida… he was… I was…

"Bella," Alice's voice broke me away from my silent panic. "It'll have to be tonight."

End Flashback 

Whenever I breathed in, the fire would lash out at me, cutting up the insides of my nose, so eventually, I stopped breathing. I held my breath and waited for death to take me over like a blessed storm cloud. I was alone in this godforsaken place. Alone in the middle of this fire and all I wanted to do… was die.


	6. Reborn

Disclaimer: Of course, I own nothing. Ch 6: Reborn 

Everything happened so quickly, it was hard to tell when one event ended and another one began. I remember Alice saying something vague about the Volturi, Edward forcing me to swallow a stale muffin, telling Charlie that I'd be spending a few days at the Cullens, but mostly, it was all a blur.

Alice had left soon after she arrived, claiming that she had to prepare. At her words, Edward darkened and refused to tell me what was on his mind, _again_. By noon, the sun was shining high and proud overhead, not a cloud in sight. Edward looked at it long and hard before grabbing me and running with me to our meadow.

I remember having questions for him stacked up in my mind like poker chips, lined up and ready to topple over. I wanted to ask him what he thought _my _favorite animal to hunt would be, if I would still have all my memories, if the sight and smell of blood could still make me faint, but I held my tongue, just letting the silence in the meadow take over my body.

He didn't seem to be in the mood to talk. He remained sitting with his legs bent in front of him, leaning forward and thinking hard about _something_ while I lay back and soaked in the warmth of the sun. I touched my face, feeling the warm skin press against my palm, and realized that my skin would never be so warm again.

But at least I wouldn't wrinkle.

"And this is what you really want?" Edward had asked at some point in the afternoon, his voice a smooth low murmur, soft and silky. It wasn't a difficult question to answer.

"I just want to be with you."

He shook his head then and slowly exhaled, clenching his jaw as he did. After that, we sat in silence.

I remember one conversation in particular when we were in my truck on the way to his house.

"Why don't you want me to be like you?" I had asked, tired of his insistent moodiness. "And don't tell me its about my soul. I already told you what I think about that."

At first, his jaw tightened and I was glad that _I _was the one driving and not him. If he had been at the wheel, my truck would have been in great danger of pushing past fifty and we would _never _have had the time for this discussion.

What he finally confessed to me made my shiver from my head to my toes.

"You - " his voice had been harsh and his breathing rapid. His hands were fisted at his side as he visibly tried to control himself. "You think that if I change you, all our problems will be solved?"

I frowned at his answer. Before I could react, he reached over and swiftly pulled the steering wheel, forcing me off the road. I slammed on my brakes and the car came to an abrupt stop, jerking me forward against my seatbelt.

"Are you crazy?!" I had shouted, furious at him. "Are you trying to _kill _me?"

Edward's eyes softened for a split second then immediately hardened. "Bella," he said my name softly in that controlled and calculated voice of his. "We're not solving all the problems by changing you. If anything, we're creating _more _problems."

My eyes scrutinized his serious face, searching for a clue.

"Are you talking about Jacob and the werewolves? Because, I know that - "

"No," he shook his once. "They're the least of our concerns right now. But, … there's so much you don't understand. When I talk about being drawn to your blood, you can't know what it feels like to resist, to feel like you have no control over the _monster_ inside. It'll be even worse for you in your first year. You'll have to isolate yourself completely. Do you know what that means? No seeing Charlie, no Jacksonville, and if it's really bad, we might have to go to Denali.

"And you thought the Volturi were bad?" He rubbed his hand over his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Those were the cops, Bella. The _police_. What do you think the bad guys are like? Not all vampires just stick to themselves and try to lay low. Some of them are big into the theatrics. They'll give everybody trouble and it wont matter if you're a vampire or not. Some make it a sport to hunt down human serial killers and turn them. What do you think that'll create. What do you think they can _do?_"

I shivered, a picture of Ted Bundy with blood red eyes popping into my head. Edward wasn't anywhere near finished.

"And do you remember Jane? You think her ability is cruel? You haven't seen _anything_ yet. You want to be part of my world - and you're only seeing half of it. You've seen the good half and even the good half is full of dangers. I've never told you about vampire fights, what'll happen when a vampire decides he or she doesn't like you or decides that you're competition. I've never told you about the community underneath Vatican City, or the Order of Aurelius, or Cortini clan, or - "

"Edward, stop," I whispered and he snapped his mouth shut. I brought my fingers to his lips and shook my head. "I know there's going to be dangers. But I also know you'll always be there with me and … that's all I care about."

"Bella - "

"Can we just take it one step at a time?"

He pulled me close and leaned his forehead against the side of my neck, breathing steadily against my collarbone. I could feel his body shaking as I wrapped my arms around him, pressing as close to him as I could, and I stroked my hand down his back, trying uselessly to calm him.

End Flashback 

_Just when I thought my pain couldn't get any worse, the fire leapt another hundred degrees and I shrieked in pain and surprise. I felt the restraints binding my ankles and wrists cut through my skin, but I didn't care. The heat was too much to bear and I lurched up._

_Surprisingly, the shackles tore free…_

"Bella?"

Everything around me was dark and I fell to the ground. Something was weighing down my wrists and I numbly recalled the metal ring rubbing against my chafed skin. The throbbing was lessening now and I leaned back in relief.

"She's almost back - Bella?!"

What was that voice? I almost recognized it, but I was too tired to process the information. The fire was gone and my body was singing with the ache of healing burns.

Oh, there was that relief again, that cool, icy touch against my cheek. As I drifted back into a relieved slumber, I vaguely noticed three things: One, Edward was close. Two, I had somehow freed myself from the thick, metal chains that had held me down.

And three, I was unbelievably, insatiably _thirsty_ for…

Then, the darkness took over me, a beautiful, heavy, gratifying blanket and I realized that this would be the last time I would ever sleep again.

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the little delay. I'm currently working on a project right now that's taking up a lot of time. Coincidentally, it's _for _the Twilight fandom… some of you might know what I'm talking about, the rest of you will know in a week or so.

Anyways, this chapter turned out a little shorter than what I expected it to be, mainly because I decided to cut it in half. The next chapter's nearly finished, so it'll be up shortly.

Annnd… for those of you who are also Buffy fans and noticed my "Order of Aurelius" clan… good for you!

It's not really a crossover because no element of Buffy will be used here… just the _characters_ of Angelus, Darla, Drusilla, and SPIKE! will show up and cause a little ruckus. They'll be Twilight-vamps, not Buffy-vamps, and their history will be re-written entirely.

I'm just borrowing the characters, mainly because I love Spike. He's such a fun character to write, as a good guy AND as a bad guy.

So yes. Get ready for them.


	7. Hunger

**Disclaimer:** As usual, I own nothing.

**Author's Note:** For those of you who don't know, I just opened an awards site for Twilight Fanfiction with Mimbley! Make sure you visit and nominate your favorite stories. Details are at the end of the chapter .

**Ch. 7: Thirst**

I don't know what woke me first, the pleasant tingling at the base of my neck or the horrible rumbling at the pit of my stomach. The tingling was nice, but the rumbling soon claimed my entire attention. _God_, it was like a beast inside me, thriving and clawing around, begging to get fed, and I had to muffle a scream before it eased away. My eyes were still closed and I wasn't sure if I should open them. I didn't know what I would find.

Edward was lying behind me on his side, kissing along my hairline, and that should have been all that mattered. But it wasn't. There was so much more than _Edward_ in the room, so much more than his cool touch. There was the scurrying of mice behind the walls, the scratching sound as a lost ant scuttled across the floor, the vibrations of the earth below me,… the squeaking of the bed was atrocious. I didn't even open my eyes and already, I felt like I was a living magnifying glass.

It was hard to comprehend anything. I vaguely remembered the pain, the burning, Edward kissing me then biting… _biting…_

_**Flashback**_

"Bella,…" he whispered, holding me close and backing me into the room. My eyes were shut tight and my face was pressed against his chest.

"Where are you taking me?" I demanded, half joking, half serious. Then, I was unceremoniously dropped on a bed. I would have burst out laughing if it I hadn't had something hard pressed against my back.

"What is this?" I frowned and opened my eyes, reaching a hand behind me. It came in contact with the cold chains Carlisle and Jasper had been setting up earlier. I had known why they were setting it up, but it didn't hit me then as it had hit me just now.

Edward stared back at me. His neck was stiff and his back was rigid. His entire _body _was as still as a statue and his eyes never wavered from mine.

"You don't have to do this," he lifted one knee onto the bed and moved closer to me. "We can figure out another way. You can back out right now."

I looked into his desperate eyes, shining now with non-existent tears. My hand moved to touch his cold, firm cheekbones, trace the worry lines on his face and I shook my head.

"No, I can't," I told him in a low voice and moved an inch forward to press my lips lightly against his. He felt like a boulder in my embrace and I backed away sighing.

For a long moment, he stayed like that, staring sadly into my eyes. It was almost like he had given up hope. Then finally, his features softened and he took me in his arms.

"No going back after this, understood?" he mumbled into my hair.

"Yes. No regrets after this?"

He didn't answer, just held me even closer.

Carlisle appeared at the door and lightly knocked on the wall. Edward didn't even turn around to acknowledge his presence.

"Edward…" he began, but Edward shook his head.

"I know, just wait outside the room and give me a few moments," he directed the statement towards Carlisle, but kept looking at me. Carlisle must've understood what he meant because all he did was nod once, give me a small smile, then turned back around to the hallway.

Edward laid me down on the bed and my breathing hitched as I watched him climb towards me. He propped himself up on his arms and hovered over my body for a little while before leaning in and kissing me softly on the cheek.

"I'll try to make it as painless as possible," he murmured in my ear. Then he chuckled, the most mournful sound I've ever heard. "It'll be far from painless, though."

I didn't say anything and he kept kissing me, pressing his cold lips to my nose, my forehead, along my jaw and down my throat. The entire time, I was as still as I've ever been in my entire life. Except for the shaking. _Nothing_ could keep me from trembling as his mouth glided along the side of my neck.

It was then when he gave me my first kiss. At first, it was simple, a caress of his lips on mine. Then, when he lingered longer than he normally did, I sighed - a very natural reaction on my part. He took that opportunity and opened his mouth, letting his tongue slide across my lips and into my mouth.

All I could do was stop breathing. I was _that _surprised. But I wasn't stupid, not by far. I knew enough to take advantage of the situation and kissed him back as well as I knew how. Which really wasn't much, but there was no way a kiss with Edward could be _bad_, so I let my instincts take over.

The intensity of the kiss grew and soon, we were both breathing heavily, yet ignoring the need - _my _need - for air. Our mouths fused together, tongues joined, and that was when I felt the cut. The first slice on my lower lip.

I wasn't the one to notice the sting, though. The only reason I realized he bit me was because he had suddenly pulled back and held both hands over his nose and mouth. His eyes were screwed shut and he looked like he was counting something in his head. That was when I felt the trickle of blood slide down my chin.

"Carlisle!" Edward called and in less than a second, Carlisle appeared next to the bed, ready to step in if something bad happened. He leaned over and inspected the cut.

"You need to take more," he said, his voice grave and serious. "It'll take too long."

Edward looked at me and exhaled deeply. Then, he slowly lowered his head to my neck and sank his cold, sharp teeth in my flesh.

_**End Flashback**_

I shivered as the memories came back, falling into place piece by piece. Edward shifted behind me, causing the springs on the bed to make an agonizing squeak. I squeezed my eyes shut. The noise was horrible and my hands flew to my ears, trying to muffle out the sharp, high sound.

"Sorry," he whispered, covering my hands with his. "I forgot. The first few days after the change, everything seems a million times clearer. You'll get used to it and in a few weeks, it wont even bother you anymore."

I felt like gasping. It _was _Edward. _Of course_ it was Edward - I already knew that. But hearing him speak was a different thing entirely. I've always noticed his velvety voice, soft and nearly touchable, but what was that… other sound? It was almost like a _purr_ coming from the back of his throat, so quiet it was barely audible. I never noticed that before. Had it always been there?

I wanted to ask him about it, but my mouth was dry and my teeth were sore. In fact, my entire body felt dry and empty, as if the fluids inside me were already draining out, slowly and surely, leaving the organs and bones inside to rub against each other. What I needed was _water_, a nice sparkling ice cold lake of water.

"How are you feeling?"

Edward's tone was extra quiet and so gentle that I would've laughed if I hadn't been hurting. That was my Edward; considerate, perpetually worried, and whispering because he knew that I couldn't handle the loud noise.

"I'm - thirsty," my voice cracked and I licked my lips, trying to moisten them. It was no use. My tongue was dry. "Water would be really good right now."

Edward stiffened slightly before pulling back to look at my face. His topaz eyes were shining, obviously worried about something - most likely one of those insane problem his overworked brain developed on its own. But, for some reason, I wasn't surprised. It seemed as if he was _always_ worrying about something these days. After what seemed like ages, he brushed his fingers across my cheeks, right under my eyes. It felt odd; somehow different. His fingers still felt cold against my skin, but it was lacking that shocking ice sensation that I've always associated with his touch. I wondered whether I liked it or not and couldn't come up with a straight answer. For one, I've always loved the way his cool body felt against mine, _especially_ during those hot summer nights. But then again, this new type of cold was not bad. In fact, it was… good.

"Water's not what you need," he shook his head and sighed. At first, I was confused. Then I realized.

"So this is what it feels like," I murmured before glancing up at him with a frown. "How come the idea of drinking blood still manages to gross me out?"

"You haven't smelled anything living yet."

"Oh."

Edward brushed a strand of hair away from my face and smiled. "Still so casual about it. You don't take anything seriously, do you?"

"I do. Some things," I slowly sat up, wincing at the delicious ache in my back.

"Really." He didn't sound convinced.

"Sure. I take _you_ seriously. Being with you always. That's serious, isn't it?"

"You _are _committed," his voice was mocking and I smacked at his chest, annoyed. Before, whenever I smacked him, he would take both of my wrists in his hands and hold them up, grinning as I struggled to get away. So, I wasn't ready for his body to actually _shift_ from the force of my hand on his chest and nearly toppled over when he fell to his side.

"Hey!" he protested, glaring and grinning at the same time. "What was that for?" I stared. _I really don't know…_

"Sorry."

Edward just rolled his eyes. "Still as clumsy as ever, I see." My face burned up and he reached out to touch my cheek. "You can still turn pink… a little."

"Dang. I was hoping I'd outgrown that by now."

"Outgrown what? Clumsiness or blushing?"

"Both," I admitted, sighing and inching over to the edge of the bed. Where were all those vampire perks? Why wasn't I moving like a prima ballerina? Why didn't I have the grace of a cat? And why, why, _why, _was I still turning red?

"It wont last forever," Edward smiled, tracing the frown lines across my forehead. "You only blush now because your old blood is still coursing through your body. And the clumsiness - well, _maybe _that'll last forever."

I raised my fist to playfully strike him again, but this time he anticipated it and caught my arm, holding it away.

"I don't think so," he laughed, then yanked me close to him. I laughed softly then winced. The aching feeling in my stomach suddenly jabbed at me then continued on, ten times stronger than before. It was growing and I _needed_ the… the water.

I gulped at the thought of anything else besides water and nearly choked. I just couldn't think of it as blood. I couldn't even _imagine_ it as blood. I needed water. _Water_.

Just then, I heard light footsteps fly up the stairs and Alice appeared at the doorway less than a blink of an eye later.

"You're up!" She exclaimed, her mouth stretching into a delighted smile. "How're you feeling?"

"Thirsty," I answered, taking a deep, deliberate breath, trying to soothe the ache.

Her smile faltered a bit and I quickly corrected myself. "For _water_," I clarified. I heard Edward let out a sigh behind me and get up from his place on the bed.

"That's what she thinks," he said, sounding exhausted. Alice looked at him for a long hard second before nodding and smiling again.

"I'll be right back with - "

"Oh, it's okay. I'll go downstairs," I cut her off, stretching to my feet and moving towards the door.

I followed Alice down the hall and Edward stayed close behind, letting his hand gently rest against my back, then trailing it along to hold onto my hip, then splayed his fingers out against the side of my waist. He was touching me _somewhere_ the entire time and I was starting to get unnecessary shivers.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked, noticing the silent house. Well, as silent as it _could_ be, what with the sound of water dripping from the faucet in the kitchen, the scratching of insects against the insides of the walls, the symphony of birds in the backyard, the -

"Hunting," Alice answered. That made sense. I leaned against the railing of the stairs as we walked down, wondering when they would include _me _in their next hunting trip. Suddenly, there was a low groan followed by the sharp, cracking sound of wood breaking. _Uh oh…_

Edward tightened his grip on me and Alice turned around to stare at me with incredulous eyes. I quickly let go of the stair rail.

"Oh," I muttered, looking at the splinters of wood where my hand had been. "Sorry."

"You'll get used to it," Edward told me, taking my hand in his. "It took me almost a week to grow accustom to the new strength."

"Until then, don't touch _anything_ in the house," Alice joked, turning back around.

In the kitchen, Alice filled up a tall glass with tap water and handed it to me. Both she and Edward looked at me curiously as I brought the glass to my mouth and drained it in one gulp.

I waited for the cool comfort to come, for the moisture to sate the dry feeling in my body - but it never did. My forehead creased and I frowned.

"More," was all I managed.

Before Alice had the chance to refill the cup, I was at the sink, cupping my hands under the faucet and bringing the water to my lips as quickly as I could. I've never felt this need before, this painful, driving frenzy for more, more, more.

The more I drank, the thirstier I became; my mouth dry and sour, my tongue lapping futilely at the liquid.

I didn't even hear the backdoor open - didn't look up when the rest of the Cullens walked into the kitchen.

Somebody pulled my shoulders back and I shrieked, furious. This was something else I wasn't used to. This blind, bright _anger_. I absolutely hated myself, Edward, and everybody; most of all, I hated the damn water streaming uselessly from the rusty faucet that was hardly ever used. I hated myself because they were right. The water wasn't helping and never before in the time I knew Edward had I seriously contemplated what would happen if I ever had to drink blood.

I wouldn't do it. I _couldn't_ do it. It wasn't about Emmett and strangling big bears, or Edward and mountain lions anymore. It was about the disgusting, vile dark maroon leaking from wounds and flowing into my mouth. I swore that it would never happen.

"Get _off _me," I snarled viciously, desperate to get back to the running water. I refused to believe that it wouldn't be enough. It _had _to be enough.

Just then, I looked up and saw my reflection against the glass window. The night outside was pitch black and I could see myself as clearly as if I had been staring into a mirror. I noticed the Cullen's behind me: Rosalie's drawn expression as she backed into a corner, Emmett and Jasper's stricken look, Alice and Edward's ashen faces, Carlisle and Esme's sad understanding, but most of all, I noticed the eyes staring back at me. The red eyes, so bright they were almost luminescent on the windowpane.

**Author's Note:** So, there's the first chapter of Vampire!Bella. It was incredibly hard to write - and I'm still not satisfied with it, but I figured I'd _never _be satisfied and might as well post it. Review! I'd like to know what you think!

**Award's Site**: http://awards -dot- volturi -dot- org is here! Click on the link, read the rules, and nominate! It's for Twilight Fanfiction and it's uber fun, so yeah. Go! (for those people who have crappy browsers: http://awards -dot- volturidotorg/index2 -dot- htm)


	8. Blood

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Of course.

**Ch. 8: Blood**

"Bella," Carlisle's voice was gentle and even. I couldn't tear my eyes from the terrible visage of _me_. The only thing I could see was the redness of my eyes. They were haunting. I vaguely registered his strong hand wrapping around my arm, pulling me away from the window. "All new vampires have eyes like that. It's not unusual."

I finally turned away to face my new family. "I look so _evil_," I murmured, reaching up to cover my eyes. Then I remembered the way I acted and was promptly horrified. "Oh god, I'm so sorry! I _am _evil, aren't I?"

"What, no!" Edward cried out and a chorus of other protests followed his.

"Of course not!"

"Don't be silly."

"Absolutely not," Carlisle said firmly, removing my hands from my eyes and giving me a reassuring smile. "What you're going through is normal," he continued, easing me over to the kitchen table. "In fact, I think you're taking it rather well. Most newly made vampires go insane for the first week, either from the blood-lust or the anger."

"I _did _go crazy," I muttered. Then I looked up, "What anger?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward twitch and turn away, sighing. Carlisle paused, then spoke again.

"Do you ever wonder how a vampire can bear to feed upon humans and maintain a clear conscience?" He asked me. I wasn't sure how to answer. I _had _wondered on occasion, but never really dwelled on the thought. He glanced over at Edward's rigid stance, "Some people believe that the reason is because vampires don't have souls. They call vampires the damned and that notion is almost just - we _are _among the most wretched creatures to walk the earth. But, maybe not. I can't be so inclined to believe that any of us here are soulless. Needless to say, I have another theory.

"All humans have emotions - strong ones. You feel love, happiness, and joy, but with the good always comes the bad, the anger, hate, and jealousy. When somebody wrongs you, you feel a need to even the score, but the entire notion of being human and living in society is to go by society's _rules_. That is why human beings don't run around carrying on vendettas. The second you become a vampire, those rules don't apply to you anymore. You aren't bound by conscience, humanity, or society. Nothing is holding you down."

His long fingers moved thoughtfully down his cheek and he shook his head, looking sadly at my face. "There is nothing more perilous than a living being with no constraints. A man without control is a - "

At that moment, the pain in my stomach intensified and I cried out, doubling over, clutching my abdomen. I felt an enraged growl rise to my throat and no matter how hard I tried to keep it back, it ripped out, thunderous and terrible.

"She needs to feed," Edward shouted, at my side in an instant. His arms wrapped around my body and he pressed me tightly against him. I panted, trying to control myself, burying my head against the curve of his neck.

"Edward - " I groaned and yelped as another sudden jab of pain hit my body.

"Now!" he snarled.

"Take her to the back yard!" Emmett took control, pushing us both in the right direction. "We brought her back a deer. A big one."

My arm flailed out, trying to block the spasms of electrifying sparks coming from inside. I felt like a desert in a thunderstorm without the sweet, cooling water. Like ice so cold it burnt. This was nearly as bad as the eternity of fire before I woke up. Edward tightened his hold and I took a deep, measured breath, inhaling his sweetness. Alice grabbed my hand and squeezed - a small dose of comfort.

I vaguely registered shoving through the back door and was surprised at the drop in temperature. The change of scenery made me freeze for a moment. The night breeze was chilling, even against my ice-cold skin, and I renewed my struggle, but this time, for a completely different reason.

With the breeze came the delicious smell of the one substance I loved to hate. Blood. I couldn't stand it as a human and I sure as hell couldn't stand it now. But, how could something so repulsive be so enticing? When I had caught the first whiff of that horrible new scent, my very first thought had been to _kill and drink._ It had been instinctive, something I didn't even need to think about. For some reason, I already knew how my teeth would feel, sinking into the rough hide of the deer, knew how the adrenaline rush would kick through me when the deer tried to buck me off, knew how I would relish the struggle and the heat of fresh blood sliding down my throat.

And the human part of me was absolutely revolted. It was a horrendous struggle and both sides were losing horribly.

My eyes snapped to the side and instantaneously connected to the wide, bewildered eyes of the terrified doe. _No, I can't do this, _I screamed to myself, silently.

"Edward!" I cried, gripping onto his arm. He pressed his head against mine and squeezed me harder. "I can't do this - I can't."

"Don't think about it," his voice was soothing, gentle and encouraging. "Just do what your body tells you to do. Give into that instinct, Bella. It's okay. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

I hadn't broken eye contact with my prey yet and though it wasn't tied down, it didn't even attempt to flee. It just stayed where it was, legs splayed, as if it was frozen with fear. It probably _was_. The doe's ears were standing tall and erect, completely aware of what danger I was. And yet, it didn't _do _anything. It _couldn't_ do anything.

"Run!" I shouted at it, tightly holding onto Edward's arms, trying to keep myself from charging at it. It didn't move a muscle. "Damnit, why won't you _run?_"

Emmett moved towards the deer as if to catch it in case it _did _run. It was then when I heard the low, growling sound coming from the back of my throat. The more I tried to stop it, the more vicious it became and soon, I was holding my breath in an attempt to control myself.

Edward was right. It was no use. I knew at that moment that no matter how hard I resisted, it was inevitable. I had to drink, there was no choice.

_Run… back away, please_, I begged the deer, closing my eyes for one last time.

Three things happened at once. The deer miraculously took a timid step back, Edward released his hold on me, and, before I could stop myself, I attacked. With wide, frightened eyes, the doe whirled around and tried to escape, but it took me one leap to land on it's back and one swift motion to sink my teeth into its neck.

It was like nothing I've ever tasted before. I wasn't sure what I was expecting - wait, no - I _was _sure. I was sure the taste would be a rancid mixture of something metallic and something salty, absolutely abhorring. But, _this_ was not it. This thick, aromatic blood pooling into my mouth was sweeter than the best candy.

Moreover, it was _soothing_. It calmed the hunger inside my stomach and quenched the thirst in my entire body like the water had failed to do. At first, the deer thrashed, trying to buck me off, but I held on and soon felt its bones crushing beneath my fingertips. It collapsed to the ground with a heavy sigh and I buried my teeth in deeper, desperate for more.

How much blood was in the human body? How much blood was in a deer's body? Half of my mind grasped onto the questions; the half of my mind that was still sane. That same half of my mind was rapidly losing hope and succumbing to the monster. The funny thing was that I couldn't bring myself to care. All I could think about was this lifeline running into my mouth and through my throat, waking me up in ways I never knew were possible, and how there wasn't enough. I heard the once-rapidly beating heart slow and finally stop.

When there was no more blood, I stood, dropping the lifeless body to the ground.

That same second, I collapsed and fell into Edward's comforting arms.

His hands clasped around me and I leaned against his chest, trying to smell his sweet, calming scent, but there was another kind of sweetness sticking to the roof of my mouth.

I looked into his eyes.

"Am I a monster?" I murmured, barely hearing myself. He dropped his head to the curve of my neck and sighed.

I felt his cool breath against my skin followed by the smoothness of his lips, kissing up the column of my throat.

"Hardly," he whispered when he reached my ear. "You're beautiful."

At first, I wanted to retort that I wasn't beautiful and how did that have anything to do with being a monster? But then I remembered the number of times he'd called himself a monster and realized what he meant.

"You're not a monster, either," I told him and sighed, closing my eyes, listening to the stillness of his heart.

Without looking up, I knew we were alone. The rest of his family - _my _family - had gone back into the house the second I was done feeding.

"Edward?" I asked suddenly, realizing something.

"Yes?"

"You haven't kissed me yet." His body stiffened slightly and if I still had live blood running through my veins, I would've been beet red. As it was, the little blood still left in me rushed to my cheeks.

Edward lifted his head and studied my face with unreadable eyes. Unconsciously, I licked my lips and grimaced at the trace of blood still staining them.

"Well," he drawled and I caught the hint of a smile creeping up one side of his mouth. His eyes sparkled in the darkness. "Do you _want_ me to?"

"What kind of question is th-"

Before I could finish talking, his lips were on mine, freezing cold yet scalding hot. Who would've known that ice could burn?

I wasted no time holding back. My fingers wound in his soft hair and I felt the hard lines of his body pressing against mine. He whispered my name and it came out muffled in my mouth.

I was the first to pull away. I wasn't sure _how _I did it exactly; I was usually _never _the one to pull away, but for some reason, I felt breathless. It was ridiculous because I didn't really need to breathe, but somehow, it was hard to remember. Edward was panting too, his face inches away from mine and his eyes staring into my own with such a fierce intensity that I almost melted away.

"Bella," he choked out and rested his forehead against mine, letting our noses skim pass each other.

"What _is _this?" I mused, shivering when I felt a strange heat surge through me. It was euphoric.

"You just fed," Edward answered, matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean?"

His chuckle rumbled from his chest and through my body, making me gasp softly.

"I didn't tell you, did I?" he asked, keeping his tone light and rubbing his hands up and down my lower back.

"Tell me what?"

"What comes with the _hunt_," he whispered in my ear and I found myself shaking again at the touch of sensuality in his voice. There was that heat again. It felt so good. Exhilarating. He started kissing the edge of my hairline, slowly and deliberately.

"Wh- _what_?"

He didn't answer me immediately. Instead, I found myself getting backed up and nearly stumbled over the dead body of the mauled deer. That in itself should have killed the mood then and there, but strangely enough -

"You _want_ me," he pulled back and grinned, a full-fledged smirk stamped on his smug face. "It's a side-effect of feeding. Perfectly natural. And also very convenient for me - "

And with that, he playfully shoved me backwards again. Before I could protest, I was pinned between him and one of the trees surrounding the back yard. The poor sycamore had no chance, what with two voracious vampires pressed up against it and it groaned under both of our weight combined.

A voice inside told me that I was being ridiculous. That this was no time to be exploring the benefits of kissing Edward now that I was some sort of unbreakable vampire instead of a fragile human. _You still have to talk to Carlisle,_ the voice chided, _he didn't finish telling you about the… anger… and the control._ Fleeting thoughts of furious werewolves, Felix, Volturi, and angry vampire clans fluttered around listlessly then disappeared altogether. All I could think about was how his lips felt on mine.

I didn't have _time _to wonder about what I was doing. Not really. Not when I was pushed up against a tree with my legs wound around his slim waist. Not when, out of the one and a half years I've known him, he was finally letting me in instead of pushing me off.

And what was this about a side-effect?

In some ways, it was understandable. Drinking the deer's blood was… invigorating. It woke up my body and the hot blood filled me up… Well, it was only expected that it'd heat other places up, too.

My hand crept under his shirt and felt the cold stone muscles of his back.

"Bella," he groaned, breaking away, yet keeping himself right there. Good thing, too, because if he had pulled back, I would've fallen straight to the blood-stained ground. "You're killing me."

"I'm sorry."

He scrutinized me for a moment.

"It's a good death," he decided, then leaned in and was kissing me again.

Suddenly, the temperature dropped and the symphony of sounds that always accompanied the night halted. I shuddered. Edward's lips froze against mine and I felt him stiffen. There was a strange smell in the air - a scent I didn't recognize - and a chill raced down my spine. I couldn't see anything, but something, or _someone_, was intently staring at me.

Edward slowly pulled away and turned around, using his body as a shield as he planted himself in front of me. I tried to look over his shoulder, but he moved, blocking my view.

"Felix," he greeted, voice low and even. I stopped shifting around when I heard the familiar name tumble out of Edward's mouth. "What an unexpected treat. May I ask what brings you here?"

His tone was deceivingly cordial and I knew that Edward knew _exactly _why Felix was here. Edward's stance prevented me from actually seeing him, but his sickeningly sweet smell stung my nose stronger than ever.

It made me feel uneasy, not being able to see a potential threat, and I struggled to push past Edward. He would have none of that and pressed me even firmer against the tree.

"Surely, you must know why I'm here," Felix purred and the grossly smooth sound grated my ears. "Aro did tell you, did he not? How else would he know if you were true to your word?"

I pushed Edward again and this time, I succeeded. His body gave way and I emerged, focusing my eyes on the Volturi guard.

His thin lips curled up in a condescending sneer as his eyes - eyes that shone a deep maroon even in the dark - settled on me.

"Ah, and here is that delicious snack you almost gave your life for," Felix took a dangerous step closer and I fought to stop the trembling. He directed his next comment to me, "Though, you're not exactly a _snack_ any longer, are you?"

I felt the remnants of my blood boil in my veins and a trace of fear trickled down my back as he slowly took another step. Even though I was a vampire, I couldn't shake off the peculiar feeling that he was a predator and I was his… prey.

**AN: **So… This story's picking up, finally! R&R! Questions, comments, whatever are welcome!


	9. Felix

Disclaimer: Ah, if only I could own such a fine specimen as Edward, my life would be complete. Alas, it is not so 

**A/N: **Sorry for the little delay - this chapter wasn't very easy to write. There're parts that I hate and parts that I love, but oh well… here it is.

Ch 9: Felix 

Edward bristled and a low growl rumbled from his throat but Felix didn't even bother to cast him a bored glance. Instead, he seemed perfectly content circling me and running raucous eyes over my entire body. I felt like throwing up.

"Oh my," he sneered, noticing the death grip Edward had on my waist. "You know, back in Volterra, I thought you were an imbecile for keeping her rather than draining her. She wasn't even very attractive; maybe acceptable at best. But _now_…"

His voice trailed off in a derisive laugh and his taunting eyes swept up and down my figure once more. Edward's warning rumble climbed up a trembling crescendo as Felix drew closer until he was only a few feet away. Felix raised an amused eyebrow and kept talking as he continued his assessment of me.

"Ah, now," he chuckled. I twisted as he made another circle around me. I was determined to keep my sight on him at all times. "Even I wouldn't mind having such a fine specimen in my arms."

He stopped directly in front of me and, very slowly, raked his eyes down my torso, pausing at my chest and hips. I resisted the urge to cross my arms over my chest and block his wandering eyes. Instead, I lifted my chin, putting on a show of proud confidence. It wasn't easy. He looked back up to meeting Edward's eyes. His voice was leering, "She's rather _enthralling_, is she not?"

I took a step backwards and collided into Edward's chest. He secured his arms around me as Felix raised an amused eyebrow.

"But you would know everything about her charms, right Edward?" Felix's smooth voice hinted at something that made me want to lash out and blush all at the same time. "What is your stance on sharing? Such a female as she is isn't meant for just one - "

The implication in his sly words infuriated me and I hissed. I would've leapt at him if Edward hadn't been holding me back. At my offensive sounds, Felix straightened and bared his teeth, impressing his authority over me. Instinct told me to back off. The vampire I was facing was older, stronger, and came from one of the most powerful vampire families in the world. I knew all this, yet my hisses grew louder and more terrible.

"That's enough," Edward's voice was icy, breaking through the tension. Felix's gaze snapped to his.

"It's best you rein her in, or else - "

A calm voice interrupted his threat. "Edward's right," Carlisle was making his way towards us. "That's quite enough."

His presence immediately dissolved the tension and I relaxed my shoulders. Felix regarded him for a moment then nodded. When he spoke, it was in a constrained tone of faux politeness.

"Carlisle. I'll presume you know why Aro has sent me."

"Making sure Edward held up his end of the deal, I would gather," Carlisle smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"That is correct."

"Come. Let's bring this discussion inside before unwelcome ears catch our words."

With that, Carlisle turned and walked back towards the house. We followed him without a second thought. As we walked, Edward's jaw ticked and I looked up to see the hard set of his eyes. I squeezed his hand and snuggled closer to his side. His eyes shifted to meet mine and softened marginally before he swept down to land a swift kiss on my forehead.

"Don't worry," he whispered in my ear. Then raised his voice a bit, "Felix knows enough not to cause trouble. Aro wouldn't like that."

Felix heard him and snorted. I just really hoped Edward was right.

Alice and Jasper were sitting on the loveseat in the living room, their backs rigid and tense. Rosalie was perched on Emmett's lap on the opposite sofa. All four sets of eyes were stony and fixed on us as we entered.

Jasper murmured something in Alice's ear, but she shook her head sharply. Edward looked in their direction, slightly surprised, but he kept his composure nicely.

"What?" I asked, quietly. He dipped his head to whisper in my ear.

"Apparently, Alice sees that there's going to be some… trouble in a few minutes. Nothing to worry about right now," he paused and slid his eyes in Felix's direction. "Right now, _he's_ wondering what your ability is."

As if right on cue, Felix lifted his eyebrows, quickly scanning everyone's dark, unreadable expressions, and spoke.

"Let's skip the formalities, shall we?" he smirked, drawing to his full height and standing on the balls of his feet. He came an inch or so above Carlisle's head and was apparently trying to appear intimidating, but Carlisle merely raised an amused eyebrow. Emmett growled slightly and suddenly stood up, too, dumping Rosalie to the side.

Emmett was clearly superior and Felix took a bewildered step back, but after a moment's contemplation, the smile crawled up his face again.

"Now, now," Felix raised a hand slightly, "There's no need for hostility. Aro wants to know what the girl's ability is."

All eyes were on me and I stiffened.

"I don't have one," I told him, narrowing my eyes. The thought alone was disappointing. "Not that I know of, anyway."

Alice opened her mouth to protest, but Jasper touched her arm and she sat back, sending him a dark glower.

"Ah, how interesting," he rubbed one hand with the other and seemed to be deep in thought. "Aro seemed pretty certain that you would have a gift. He's seldom mistaken, but maybe - "

Carlisle cut him off. "Oh, I have no doubts that she will develop an ability."

"I see. And why are you so sure of this?"

There was a slight pause.

"There are some things that are just known."

With those words, Carlisle closed the door to any further questions regarding my so-called, highly anticipated, special power. Felix's mouth snapped shut and he slowly nodded. Esme chose that moment to enter the room, carrying with her an ornate, silver tray of tea. Her presence immediately calmed me and I felt Edward let out a small breath.

She set the tray down on the mahogany coffee table, nodded at Felix who was eyeing the teapot with disdain, and proceeded to stand by Carlisle. For a moment, nobody uttered a sound, then suddenly, Alice reached out to grab a teacup and drained it in one gulp. She made a face and turned to set the cup back on the tray.

"Truly domesticated, are we? How absolutely revolting," Felix scoffed, watching the display. Jasper's eyes narrowed and a fierce sound ripped from his throat. A unexpected surge of anger shot through my body and clouded my vision. The next thing I knew, I was growling along with every single other vampire in the room besides Carlisle.

"Jasper, _enough_," Carlisle commanded, his voice sharp. Jasper widened his eyes and the foreign rage abated.

"Sorry," Jasper muttered, quietly, then set his eyes on Felix.

Alice leaned into him and whispered something in his ear. He sat back, but the hard, cold look in his eyes stayed strained on Felix. Although Jasper withdrew his prompted fury, the tension in the room was still thick.

I must've stiffened up because the next thing I knew, Edward was rubbing his hand up and down my back, trying to calm me down.

"Interesting," Felix commented, looking at Jasper. "You can force riots? Create chaos?"

"No," was the short reply.

"No? You just stimulate anger?"

"I'm an empath."

"Ah. How mediocre," Felix sounded bored and turned his attention back to Carlisle. "Aro wants to know when you're planning on returning to Volterra."

I heard Rosalie's quiet gasp and saw Alice's hand shoot out to grab onto Jasper's arm.

"_What?_" I murmured, completely shocked. As far as I knew, I would never, _ever _pay Volterra another visit for so long as I lived. Which now seemed to be close to forever…

Edward must've had the same idea, because he was tugging on my arm, clearly wanting me to stand behind him. I shook my head fervently and sent him a tiny glare.

"I don't have any intentions of traveling to Volterra any time soon," Carlisle said, his voice as smooth as ever. Rosalie visibly relaxed and from the corner of my eye, I saw Emmett sit back down beside her and wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"It wasn't a request."

Esme drew a breath at Felix's ice-cold tone as he took a step forward. Carlisle wasn't fazed.

"If Aro has a problem, he's welcome to call me himself anytime he wants."

"He'll want to know the girl's power," Felix countered, clasping his strong, pale hands together.

"And when we figure what her power is, we'll be more than happy to phone him our - "

"He wants a personal demonstration."

Edward suddenly let go of me and strode forward until he was nose to nose with Felix.

"She will _not_ go to Volterra," he snarled, violently. "And you will _not _even _think _about laying a finger on her, you miserable bastard, or I'll - "

"Edward!" Esme exclaimed. At the same time, I stepped forward to seize his arm. I couldn't believe his stupidity. He did _not _just threaten a Volturi! Hadn't he learned his lesson yet?

Edward yanked his arm out of my grasp, refusing to budge.

"You didn't see what he was planning to do!" he shouted at us, keeping his eyes on Felix. Felix's mouthed twitched up into a lazy grin and when his eyes slowly glided to my body, I felt my face burn up.

"I was instructed to use whatever means necessary to make sure she reached the city," the vampire smirked, apparently entertained by Edward's outburst. "As for what I _imagined_ doing to your girl…"

His voice trailed off suggestively. Edward let out a ferocious growl and lunged. His attack forced them both against the coffee table, which snapped under their combined weight and collapsed. The china teacups crashed to the floor, shattering and sending hot tea everywhere.

I shrieked and instantly, everyone in the room was on their feet, shouting. Alice jumped up and the loveseat she was sharing with Jasper tumbled backwards against a lamp. Carlisle pulled Esme out of its path as the ornate, century-old artifact plummeted to the floor.

The most atrocious noises were coming from Edward and Felix as they bore their teeth and slammed into each other. Edward punched Felix's face as Felix twisted and attempted to throw him off. I started forward to break the fight, but I felt Rosalie's hand clamp around my wrist.

Jasper and Emmett were already there, pulling Edward up and sending Felix flying through the air. He crashed into the opposite wall, bringing an eighteenth century painting to the ground. I clamped my hand over my mouth as I looked around the room.

The hard-wood floors were dented down and the furniture was all destroyed. Edward was straining against Jasper and Emmett's hold, still growling and curling his lips over his glistening, white teeth. Felix slowly stood and aimed his dark, red eyes at Edward.

He crouched down and clenched his fist, looking ready to attack. The entire room froze as he took a threatening step forward. Before I could blink, he was suddenly charging again. I wasn't exactly sure what I was thinking, but the only thing my mind could process was, _Edward!_ and I rushed out to block him from Felix's path.

"STOP!" Carlisle roared. His voice reverberated around the entire room, overpowering the growls.

I braced myself and closed my eyes for the inevitable impact of Felix's body on mine, but it never happened. When I opened my eyes, I was looking straight at Felix's feral snarl. Apparently, he had been able to stop his attack less than a foot in front of me.

His eyes were glued to mine and I found myself unable to look away from the dreadful blood-red irises. An unwelcome chill crept up my back and I fought against the urge to gag at the unpleasant taste that suddenly filled my mouth.

Finally, Felix wrenched his eyes away and turned towards Carlisle. Relief flooded my body and I felt Edward's strong hands touch the back of mine. I took a step back closer to him and silently sighed when he weaved our fingers together and squeezed.

"Be warned now," Felix bit out slowly and sinisterly. "Aro will know of this and he will _not _be pleased."

Carlisle's stony expression didn't look affected and he listened to Felix's warning in a dangerously calm silence. The rest of us didn't dared to move as the older vampires sized each other up.

After what seemed like forever, Carlisle decided to speak.

"Are you planning to stay for long?"

Felix blinked, then smiled a deadly, saccharine smile. "Oh yes. This town is far too entertaining for me to leave so soon."

My grip on Edward's hand suddenly tightened as I tried to decipher the meaning behind his words. Edward apparently had the same idea as he suddenly stiffened. I looked up to see his scowling face concentrated on Felix's back, intent on picking up his thoughts.

"Well, then you're welcome to stay with us until - "

"No need for the false courtesy, as much as it is appreciated."

Felix sounded as if appreciation was the last thing in his mind as he continued, "But, I've already found a traveling clan to stay with. We're a few miles north of Forks, so it works out quite well, I must say."

The more he spoke, the more the unsettling feeling in my gut bothered me. His words sounded foreboding and calculating… and I was undeniably thrown off by them.

Carlisle paused. "Traveling clan?" he carefully masked his surprise and Felix's smile grew to epic proportions.

"Yes, that's what I said."

"I was under the impression that the only vampire clans were settled down. I wasn't aware that _traveling_ clans of your kind still existed."

"Oh, but they do," Felix said, clearly enjoying the troubled look on all of our faces. "Nothing to worry about, though. I'll make sure they don't do… much damage to Forks."

Emmett lashed out at that.

"You'll make sure they do _no _damage to Forks," he hissed. Carlisle raised a hand, motioning for him to back off. Emmett glowered in his direction and quieted… marginally.

"Now, why would I want to do that?" Felix sang, sounding delighted. "I really have no say in what they do or don't do, do I? I'm not their clan leader, now am I?"

"And _Aro _knows about this clan you've allianced yourself with, I presume?" Carlisle asked.

Felix didn't even miss a beat as he shrugged, "No, but he wouldn't object. I'm using whatever means I can to get my job done. I doubt he would really care."

Then, he turned to read the grandfather clock at the far end of the wall - the one piece of furniture that remained unscathed in the room.

"Will you look at that," Felix grinned, "It's about time for me to take my leave. Now, don't look so disappointed - I'll be coming back."

With that, he turned and made his way to the front door. Before he stepped out, Carlisle called him back.

"Just how long are you _planning _on staying?"

Felix paused and if possible, his smile grew even more lewd.

"Oh, not so long. Just until I've sated my appetite - "

And with that, he disappeared out the door.

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews, guys! I'll try responding to them one day, but college applications and interviews are really taking up most of my time. The good news is that I've got every single chapter until chapter 15 already outlined, so the updates shouldn't be too slow. But, with teachers being completely horrible and colleges being even more horrible… updating might be a little spaced out now and then, but I'm _hoping _to fit in an update at least once every week.


	10. Panic

**Disclaimer: **I own nada.

**Author's Note:** The Twilight Awards nomination Round 1 has ended and the voting period will begin shortly.

**Ch. 10: Panic**

"We can't stay," were the first words out of Edward's mouth as soon as Felix was gone. I whirled around to face him, shocked. His eyes were locked on Carlisle.

"What do you mean '_we can't stay,_'" I backed up, pushing him away. The certainty in his words scared me. Edward didn't answer immediately, and I prodded his arm. "What's he planning? What does he want?"

He refused to meet my gaze and kept looking at Carlisle, whose normally calm features were hardened and worried. Emmett pushed away from the couch and made his way forward.

"I'm with you, man," his voice sounded beyond serious. "That guy's no good. Especially with - "

"No, we can't leave!" Alice's clear voice pierced the air. We turned to face her, surprised. Her head was bent and both hands were woven into the short strands of her dark hair. Her entire body was trembling.

"What is it?" Edward squinted. "Did you see something just then?" His eyes flickered to mine for a split second before returning to Alice's face, "I wasn't paying attention."

The suffocating silence hovered, suspended in the air. Jasper was rubbing Alice's back, trying to calm her down. Alice finally looked up and sighed.

"Not really," she finally admitted, rubbing her dry eyes. "I saw … Felix. He was - "

" - killing Bella…" Edward finished, his entire face suddenly darkening. "And he's not alone. He's with - wait, I can't see the - what is - Alice?"

The entire room was silently staring at the exchange. Edward's attention was focused on Alice and her eyes were squeezed shut.

"Everything's blurred - " Edward murmured, dipping into her mind. "What's wrong, Alice? Why is this happening?"

Jasper sent Edward a quick look.

"Don't pressure her," he said quietly. The tension in the room was heightening - had been heightening since the moment Felix arrived and didn't dissolve with his departure. I was too afraid to move.

Alice let out a furious shout of frustration and sprung up to her feet.

"I don't understand!" she shouted, pacing the length of the room. "I've never _not _been able to see clearly. Yeah, sometimes my visions aren't accurate, but I've always been able to see the _faces_ involved!"

"Except werewolves," I inserted, biting my lip as soon as the comment came out. She stopped mid-step and twirled around, her amber eyes darkening slightly.

"Well - "

"That's impossible," Edward shook his head. "The only werewolves in this immediate area are the Quileutes and they wouldn't align themselves with Felix."

"_No _werewolf would align themselves with a vampire," Carlisle added.

"So, what is it, then? Is there any other explanation?" I cried out, exasperated. I noticed something in Edward's eyes and tensed up when Jasper and Emmett stepped forward.

"There's only one way to find out," Edward said, quietly, tearing his eyes away from mine. Something about the rigidity in his shoulders spoke volumes to me and my throat was suddenly constricted.

"Felix. You're going to track him," I deadpanned, fighting for control over my voice. Edward shot me a sideways glance and looked away, again.

"There's no other way - "

"_Find_ another way," I ground out. I was by his side in less than a few strides and touched his cheek. The dull, topaz eyes met mine and held.

"I have to," his voice was strained and his eyes were pleading, and all I wanted was to grab onto him and hold him forever.

"It's dangerous," my own voice was weak. Somehow, I knew that no matter what I said, his mind couldn't be changed, but I had to try anyways. "Felix isn't even by himself. He's with - other people. Probably other vampires. You _saw_ what was in Alice's vision and you said yourself, _he isn't alone_. It's not safe!"

"I know," the emotion was heavy in his tone and if there were tears in my body, I would've shed them all at that moment. I buried my face in his chest and trembled.

"Edward - " What could I say? He tilted my chin up to look into his eyes.

"Don't you see? That's why I _have _to do this. If I don't track him, who knows what can happen to you? You didn't see what I saw him doing. It was - "

He broke off and pressed his forehead to mine. Everybody was in the room, quietly listening and looking at us, but this didn't register as I tiptoed slightly and pressed my lips to his.

"I don't want to lose you."

"You won't," he promised.

An idea suddenly entered my mind. Not a good one, but still… an idea.

"I'm going with you."

At my declaration, he shoved me back, squeezing the life out of my shoulders and growled, "No, you are _not_."

My voice was just as deadly as his when I refused to relent, "If you think I'm going to let you walk out that door and throw yourself to the wolves, then you've got another thing coming."

"I'll chain you up to this house itself if it keeps you from coming with me, so help me God, you are _staying here_."

I knew then that my case was lost.

Emmett took a step forward, too close to us. "I'll go with him," he announced, "Nothing will happen to us. Not with me around, at least."

I heard Rosalie's sounds of protests across the room and squeezed my eyes shut. Edward's arms wrapped around me and I pressed my nose against him, breathing in his reassuring scent.

"I'm going, too," Jasper's quiet voice added.

The entire room was silent, until Carlisle cleared his throat.

"Time is of essence," he said and suddenly, Edward was gently pushing me away. I looked up at him in alarm.

"_Now_?" I whispered, miserable.

"By now, he's probably past the town's limit," Emmett observed, already heading to the door. Jasper was whispering something in Alice's ear and she was nodding, quietly.

"I have to go," Edward said, pinning me with his intense gaze. "It wont take long. I should be back before sun-up."

With that, he was gone, leaving me in the living room staring out at the empty parlor with an equally empty feeling in my stomach. I've never been more desperate for the sun to rise.

………

"How are you feeling?"

The question shook me out of my frozen stupor and I squeezed my eyes shut. I felt Alice's hand rubbing my back, trying to soothe me, but all I could think about was how my heart was shredding itself apart.

"Like a knife was just wrenched into my gut and whoever's got the handle is twisting it," I spoke, my voice flat.

"They will be fine, you know," she tried to reassure me. I should've just let her be, but the fear that'd been subtly beating up my insides suddenly needed somewhere to vent.

"How would you know, did you have a _vision_?"

My tone was hard, but I couldn't bring myself to care. I was hurting way too much to think. Alice's hand froze on my back.

"As a matter of fact, I did."

"And we all know how well those always work out," I muttered, instantly regretting my words. I quickly turned, just in time to see the hurt look fleeting across her delicate features. My gut twisted itself repeatedly, "Oh God, Alice, I'm sorry. I'm just - "

"Don't worry about it," she said, quietly, "I know how distressed you must be feeling."

_Oh no_, I remembered with a sinking feeling. Jasper was gone, too. So was Emmett. How could I be so selfish? A distinct guilty sensation rose up from my stomach, nearly overpowering the pain that Edward left behind.

Without speaking, she led me up the stairs and into her room, where Rosalie was waiting at the vanity table.

"Hi," Rosalie turned, smiling stiffly. I smiled back and let myself fall into the black, leather couch.

We were quiet for a little while and I found myself closing my eyes, trying to reach Edward. I couldn't get rid of the feeling that he was just getting farther and further from me in all senses of the words and it was breaking me to pieces. _Edward_, I tried to reach him with my mind. For a brief moment, I thought maybe I could. Maybe it was my gift.

_Edward, Edward, are you there? I'll - I'll jump off the roof_, I threatened in my head and pathetically waited for a response. None came.

"So, how do you like it?" Rosalie's voice broke my thoughts and I glanced up. She was regarding me with a wary look and her mouth was set in a straight line.

"Like what?"

Her lip curled up slightly, "Being a vampire. What else? Is it everything you thought it would be?"

My first thought was to retort _Yes, it's everything I've wanted since meeting your family._ But then I thought about the past twenty-four hours and the time before then - what felt like eternity in hell. I didn't know how to answer her.

Alice, who'd been pacing the length of the room, froze, staring at the two of us. Rosalie's expression was bitter and she shook her head.

"It's not everything it's cut out to be, is it?" she asked, softly, her dark, orange eyes holding mine.

My response died in my throat. I wanted to tell her to shut up, because it really _wasn't_ what I thought it'd be, but at the same time, it was. I did it so I could be with Edward, and now I was, so what else mattered?

Rosalie's pale, slender hand reached up to her blonde hair and fingered the fine strands almost lovingly.

"You know," she started, her voice strangled, "Ever since I've been turned, I've wanted to change this hair close to fifty different times. Sometimes, I want it to grow, other times, I want to cut it. But you know what? I can't. I _can't_.

"I've tried once. I tried to give myself one of those adorable bob cuts, but - "

"Rosalie, shut up," Alice's quiet voice cut her off.

"No, Bella needs to know what this life is like," Rosalie insisted, her gaze jumping from me to Alice and back. "Emmett is one of the only people I truly care about in the world. I'd be happy with him for eternity - but he's truly an _idiot_. He can't go a week without _looking_ for trouble. Why do you think he takes on grizzly bears? It's a _challenge_ for that lunatic. And now he's off gallivanting about, stirring up trouble with _Felix_. Felix! He doesn't know the meaning of danger!"

"None of them do," Alice sighed, gracefully dropping down on the sofa beside me. "It's a cheap thrill to them, sometimes."

I was confused.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows, "How Edward, Jasper, and Emmett are tracking Felix? Edward said that was the only…"

The rest of my sentence trailed off. I was reminded again of Edward's abrupt disappearance.

"Well, he _was _right," Alice said, "Edward and I didn't really explain it all that clearly downstairs. The vision I was getting - I saw that Felix had companions, but their faces were fuzzy and blurred. It was almost like they were _censored_ from my mind, if you would believe it. The only way to figure out what we're up against is if they track Felix and see what he's up to."

Rosalie let out a short laugh, "But that doesn't mean they don't enjoy the chase. It's all about the chase for them. They'll say it's the only way and it may be, but they _enjoy _it, those sick bastards."

I remembered back to the time when Edward was telling me about tracking Victoria… all the way to the wrong continent. The thought suddenly scared me.

"Edward's not a very good tracker though," I frowned. Alice and Rosalie rolled their eyes and grinned.

"His tracking skills leave much to be desired," Alice giggled, despite the hard tension in the air. "But don't worry. Jasper and Emmett have more experience and Edward's mind-reading gift will definitely be an asset."

I nodded, half-listening to what she was saying and half conjuring up Edward's face in my mind. I couldn't get rid of the image of him in the shadows that day in Volterra, chest bare and arms out, ready to step into the glaring sun.

_Oh Edward, you can be so stupid sometimes_, I felt like crying. Then I remembered the last look Edward cast at me before disappearing into the dark to run after Felix. _You better come back to me._

My fingers were twisting his ring around on my finger and when I realized what I was doing, a onslaught of emotions swarmed up again in my chest.

"We were supposed to get married, first," I sighed out and brought my hands up to rub against my temples. According to Charlie, Edward and I were taking a road-trip out to Jacksonville to break the engagement news to Renee. I briefly wondered how long it would be before both him and Renee got suspicious.

Alice regarded me silently for a moment.

"It'll happen," she reassured. Then, her face lit up with a thoughtful smile. "It's about time for Edward, anyways. He's been a bachelor for, what, about a century?"

Her lilting laugh lightened the mood and I managed a small grin.

"At first, the idea of getting married was so _odd_," I sighed, fiddling with the leather of the sofa, "But… it's _Edward_."

"I know what you mean," Rosalie spoke up. "It's that way with Emmett. Every single time we get married, it's so special."

Alice snorted.

"You're a marriage _fiend_, Rose," she teased. Rosalie's eyes softened and she laughed.

"Yeah, I am," she admitted, sighing dreamily. "My goal's to get married at _least _a hundred times with Emmett."

Alice lifted an amused eyebrow, "How surprising. You actually have _goals_."

"I've never been married in China before," Rosalie ignored her, "That would be marvelous. We can be married by the Great Wall of China, or under a pagoda, or - "

"And we'll all wear rice hats," Alice jibed, sending me a joking look, "It'll be _lovely_."

Rosalie just scowled and shrugged. She turned to me with an unusual elated expression. "Where are you and Edward getting married?" she asked.

I was hesitant to answer.

"Well, I - don't really know," I said, finally, "We never really discussed it."

"Oh, I suggest Paris. It is so absolutely _beautiful_ there. Romantic's paradise, I'm telling you - "

Alice cut her off. "What about Las Vegas?" She asked. At Rosalie's disdainful expression, she frowned slightly, "What? _Everyone_ needs to have a Vegas wedding once in their lifetime."

Rosalie scoffed, flipping her long, silky hair over her shoulder. "This is coming from Miss One-Marriage-Is-Enough-For-Me," she told me, "Las Vegas is overdone and cliché."

"Uh, I'll be sure to remember that," I said, hiding my smile. Alice just rolled her eyes at us and dropped down to sit on the floor.

For a while, we talked about one random subject to another, trying to pass the time until the sun rose again. Every once in a while, I'd look outside, hoping to see the sliver of light peeking from the horizon.

Alice must have noticed, because at the seventh time I did that, she commented, "The sun rises from the east, Bella. That window faces west."

"Oh," I muttered. "Maybe that explains the lack of light."

"No, _that's_ because it's only two in the morning," she chuckled.

"Oh."

She noticed my fidgeting hands. "Well, if they keep doing what they're doing, they should be back within a few hours," she told me, looking briefly into the future. I lifted both eyebrows, suddenly reminded of something Felix had said earlier.

"Alice, what if I don't get a power?" I asked.

Alice thought for a moment, "Well, you'd - "

"Just go on like the rest of us," Rosalie interrupted, smoothly. "I don't have any power and quite frankly, I'm thankful. It's too much of a hassle, don't you think? I mean, who _really _wants to see the future or hear other people's nasty thoughts?"

"Rose's just jealous," Alice quipped, stretching out her thin legs. "But really. It's not quite the burden she makes it out to be, but it doesn't matter all that much, either."

"What doesn't matter all that much?" a deep, fluid voice asked from the doorway. We all looked up to see Carlisle leaning on the doorframe, smiling warmly at us.

"Oh, Bella's just miffed she hasn't got a power," Rosalie chimed up, happily. I frowned a bit, but shrugged when Carlisle's eyes met mine.

"I was about to tell her how most of our ability kicks in after a little while," Alice added.

"That's true," Carlisle nodded, stepping into the room. "Some vampires don't even realize that they have a gift until a year or two after they're turned. And most talents only make themselves known when the host is in danger. After you realize what your talent is, then you can work on controlling it."

I thought about that, then sighed. "So, I guess if my so-called ability doesn't appear within a decade, I can stop hoping, right?"

Carlisle appeared surprised and widened his eyes, slightly.

"Oh, I have no doubt that you have an ability," he smiled, "And judging from past experience… it'll be a great one, too."

After that, Esme popped her head in and Rosalie changed the subject back to marriages.

We stayed up talking until dawn.

At around five thirty in the morning, a bird started chirping in the backyard, telling us that morning had finally broken. As I trained my eyes at the lightening sky, I realized that Edward still hadn't returned.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the delay - school's been really hectic. Hope you guys liked the new developments, and don't worry, Edward'll be back very soon.

**Brief Synopsis so far:** So, Bella has changed into a vampire. Shortly after, Felix makes an appearance, scaring everybody out of their wits, especially when he leads on that he's not quite finished with business in Forks and furthermore, is traveling with an unusual band of vampires - something that rarely occurs in the vampire world. Alice gets a vision of Bella being killed, which freaks everybody out. Then, she tries to get a vision and see who these people (vampires) that Felix is hanging out with are, but in her vision, their faces come out blurred. Edward reads Alice's mind and also sees the blurred vision. This upsets him and after some discussion, he, Jasper, and Emmett decide to go track Felix and see the band of vampires for themselves. Bella wants to come, but reminded of Alice's initial vision, Edward refuses to let her leave. He disappears, promising that he'll be back before sunrise. During his absence, Bella talks to Alice and Rosalie about some useless stuff - and when dawn finally arrives, Edward still hasn't returned.


	11. Hunt

**Ch. 11: Hunt**

When he didn't return the next morning, I stayed at the window, waiting. Every second the clock ticked echoed in my head, every minute that went by hurt, and as the hours passed, my worry grew exponentially. _Where was he? Was he okay? Did he get caught?_

Alice told me not to worry, but her skin was paler than usual and I saw the sickness and anxiety in her ocher eyes. Her usually light-footed steps were heavy and whenever she passed a window, she stared out for a few seconds before sighing and turning away.

Rosalie was just as upset. She resigned to locking herself in her room and moping about. Carlisle and Esme kept reassuring us, telling us that Edward, Jasper, and Emmett knew what they were doing. Their steadfast words barely wavered, but I could see the hollowness in Carlisle's eyes and the way his hands tightened into a fist whenever we mentioned their names.

When the second day passed without a word, I was ready to run out and find them myself. Again, Alice told me they weren't putting themselves in danger. In her vision, she saw them traveling a little farther up north, almost to Canada.

"What the _hell _is in Canada?" I had demanded, frustrated out of my mind.

"Felix and his crew are apparently taking a little trip up north and Edward wanted to see if he could find out what they were planning," Alice had replied, sounding tired and resigned.

"Figures Edward would do something stupid like that," I'd muttered bitterly. Why couldn't he see that I was _dying _in this house without him? Didn't he know that I was eating myself up with worry?

Carlisle wouldn't even let me go outside. He'd said something about "danger" and "don't want anyone to recognize you," and I'd just sighed. I talked to Alice and Rosalie, but the conversation hadn't been light. We were all too tensed up about our missing significant others.

By the fourth day, I was beginning to wish I could sleep. Sleep would mean a brief peace of mind - it meant dreams. If I could sleep, maybe Edward would visit me in my dreams and for a few blissful hours, I'd forget whatever danger was out in the world. I tried, too, but the only bed in the house was the one I'd been lying on during my change. For obvious reasons, I couldn't bring myself to go near it.

I tried napping on Edward's sofa, but it didn't work. I would lie down and breath in the faint traces of his sweet scent, close my eyes, and wait for sleep to overcome my conscious mind, but it never did.

It was torture - being awake day and night, unable to stop thinking about Edward, and not being able to do anything productive. At first, boredom wasn't such a problem. My enhanced senses couldn't help but be interested in everything new I picked up.

On the fifth day, my nose picked up something new, something unprecedented, something absolutely _delicious_.

I was in Edward's room, picking through his extensive music collection when it happened. First came the smell - it was faint, obviously far away, but it alerted me right away. I could feel the venomous saliva pooling into my mouth as the scent grew stronger, followed by the dull roaring of an engine. My hands started shaking and my entire body tensed.

This little waft, this aromatic tease, sent my other senses into overdrive. I could feel my eyes narrowing of their own accord and everything suddenly became sharper - ten times sharper than they were before, millions of times sharper than what they had been when I was human.

Rosalie and Alice suddenly appeared at my door and I whirled, flaring my nose. The look in their faces were stricken and before I could think, they were both at my side, pinning my arms down and pushing me to the floor.

"What's going on?" I asked, hissing almost uncontrollably. It surprised me, the deadly undertones I heard in my own voice. "What is the - it's so good - why are you - "

The scent was stronger than ever now and I couldn't help the growl that escaped my throat. I wanted to know what it was and I wanted to know _now._

"Let me up," I demanded, struggling against Rosalie and Alice's death grip. If it had been just one of them, I probably could've broken free - I was stronger, newer, and the mouth-watering aroma was giving me power.

"This isn't good," I heard Alice mutter to Rosalie. Rosalie glared, gritting her teeth when I jabbed my elbow into her side.

"No kidding," she grumbled, twisting my arm behind my back. I shrieked out, furious. She grunted when I kicked her shin.

"_What _is the human doing here?" Rosalie snarled.

"UPS," Alice answered shortly, tightening her grip.

"Fuck."

Rosalie's swear was accentuated by a cough - I'd just butted my head against her throat.

So that was what the scent was - human blood. My lips curled over my glistening teeth. Something inside me told me to control myself, but that something was so small, so insignificant compared to this urge to sink my teeth into soft, smooth skin and taste -

"Shit, this isn't supposed to happen," Alice cursed, vehemently. "It hasn't even been an entire week yet! She's going to go crazy!"

My deft ears picked up the sound of the front door being pushed open and Carlisle's smooth greeting to whoever was on the porch.

A thick, masculine voice answered, and I renewed my efforts against the two vampires holding me down.

"I have a package for Bella Swan-Cullen," the voice spoke. I should have been surprised and immediately cautious at those words - _Bella Swan-Cullen_ - but I wasn't.

"See? It's for _me_," I found myself insisting, glaring at my captors. "Let me go down."

Rosalie remained tight-lipped and Alice shook her head.

"I know this is hard, Bella," she said evenly, "But you have to try. That's a _human_ down there. You'll regret it if you do anything to him."

I hesitated, carefully weighing her words. I was torn - the small grasp I had on my actions held me back, but the lure of live blood pumping through hundreds of veins … warm, thick, and tasty…

I found myself growling, fighting another battle inside. It was nothing like before. With the deer, I let myself submit and drink the blood, but right now, I _couldn't_. It wasn't a choice.

Carlisle's even voice floated up.

"I'm sorry, she's not available at the moment," his tone was pleasant, but I could hear the slight strain in his throat. "Why don't I just take it for her?"

"Oh, that's fine," the human's voice chuckled a bit. "Just sign here, sir."

It was hard to hear his voice and _not _think of how that very same voice could scream when I strangled him - I groaned, trying to wipe the image from my head.

_Why hold back?_ An unbidden thought crept into my mind. Tempting. _Why deny who you really are now?_ I tensed, listening carefully to this foreign voice. _You're a vampire, Bella. This is what vampires do… indulge._

"No!" I suddenly growled, clenching my jaw, refusing to let the voice go on. My frenzy climbed. "I wont, I can't, I wont. I refuse!"

Alice wrapped me in her arms as I started to rock back and forth, sobbing dry tears.

I wasn't sure how long we sat there, huddled on the floor in Edward's room, but slowly, the scent faded. Slowly, I was able to control the blood-lust raging inside me.

Rosalie and Alice loosened their hold on me until it was less restraining and more comforting.

"You did it," Alice whispered, rubbing my back. "He's gone. I'm so proud of you, Bella."

For a long moment, I couldn't talk. I couldn't believe myself. Had I really … considered drinking from a human? A live human with a soul, a life, a family; the thought itself was disgusting and I felt like gagging.

"I'm bad," I choked out, burying my face in my hands. "I'm bad, I'm so … the things I wanted to do to him."

"But you _didn't_," she squeezed my shoulder. "That's what matters. You fought the monster in you and _won_. Most new vampires can't do that."

I kept shaking my head, not really hearing her words.

"You don't understand," I cried, "I saw myself attacking him. I saw myself sinking my teeth into his throat, I felt how his blood would feel trickling down my throat, and I _wanted _it. And it wasn't just - I wanted it to _hurt_, Alice. I wanted him to scream and cry for mercy."

Rosalie brushed my hair aside and pressed her face against the side of my head. Alice didn't answer, just kept rubbing my back. I felt Carlisle's presence when he softly entered the room.

"What you're experiencing isn't unusual," he told me gently before dropping an oversized envelope in front of me.

I stared at it.

"What is it?" I finally asked, gesturing.

"It was sent to you."

I understood that much. I just didn't know _why _or how it was possible.

"I don't - "

Carlisle stopped me and said, "You should open it. Maybe it holds answers."

Alice and Rosalie's constant contact was comforting and after a few seconds of deliberation, I reached for the envelope.

_For Bella_,it read in fancy, hand-written script on the front. Gently, I slid a finger under the tab and ripped it open.

"What does it say?" Rosalie leaned forward, watching as I pulled out a crisp, clean sheet of paper. I frowned at the blank sheet of paper, then flipped it over.

My breath caught in my throat as I read the single sentence written in the middle.

_Nothing is sweeter than the bliss of warm, human blood sliding down the throat; wouldn't you agree?_

Alice swore.

"Those sick bastards," she hissed. I looked up at Carlisle's face and saw his hardened features.

"Aro would never resort to these methods," he said and I could see a faint wrinkle appear between his eyebrows. "It's not the work of the Volturi, which can only mean one thing."

He paused briefly as if trying to allow his next thought to process in his mind before voicing it out loud. Finally, he spoke.

"Felix is no longer working for them."

At first, I didn't know what to make of that. The thought of the Volturi being involved with anything pertaining my life scared me senseless. But … to an extent, they offered control and stability. They liked the world the way it was and didn't want to rock it.

If that was them, then what was a loose cannon like Felix? I suddenly remembered what Edward told me once upon a time. It was only a few days ago, but it felt like ages.

_What do you think the bad guys are like? Not all vampires just stick to themselves and try to lay low. Some of them are big into the theatrics. They'll give everybody trouble and it wont matter if you're a vampire or not._

Was this happening to me already? He told me once that I was only seeing half of his world. I wasn't sure what he meant back then. Now, I'm starting to realize and I haven't even been part of his world for an entire week.

I chose my next words carefully.

"Does this make Felix more dangerous?" I asked.

Carlisle nodded. "Irrefutably so. Do you realize what he was trying to do by sending you this letter?"

I shook my head.

"He was baiting you," he sighed. "If it were up to me, I wouldn't let you near a human being until at least a month has passed. He understands the lack of control a new vampire has and decided to take matters into his own hands. By sending you a letter via UPS, he's attacked from behind, forcing you to face your nature before you're strong enough to fight it."

Alice's eyes widened slightly.

"That's disgustingly clever," she muttered, shaking her head. "I didn't even see it coming until the damned man was starting down the long driveway. By then - Rose and I were _barely _in time. Bella would have ripped him to _shreds_."

"Damn," I winced. Carlisle settled.

"But his plan must have backfired," he said, thoughtfully. "By what he's written, it's evident that he expected Bella to do exactly that. It's actually to our benefit. Bella's all the more stronger for resisting and we know he's disassociated himself with the Volturi. I doubt Aro even knows this yet."

"The question is," Alice continued for him, "If he's disassociated himself with _them_, who has he associated himself _with_?"

"Which brings us to this point," Rosalie piped up, amber eyes flashing dangerously, "Where the _hell _is Emmett and the others?"

Where the hell, indeed.

………

By the sixth day of Edward's absence, I couldn't ignore the drained feeling in my body anymore.

"You need to teach me how to hunt," I demanded Alice in the kitchen. She raised an eyebrow.

"You're thirsty? Already?" she sounded surprised, then thoughtful, "That makes sense, I guess. Just-turned vampires tend to need blood more often."

"Yes. So take me hunting."

Alice suddenly seemed uncertain. "Why don't I just bring something back for you?" she suggested. "It wont take long - I'll just go to the park."

I sighed. Obviously, this was going to be harder than I thought.

"Well, I'll have to learn _sometime_, wont I?" I asked. When she didn't respond, I smirked, "No time like the present."

"It's not very _safe_," Alice protested.

"All the more reason for me to _learn_. So I wont put myself in _danger_."

She frowned. "I don't think you should be leaving the house."

"Oh, come on! It's three in the morning! Who can possibly see me outside the house at - "

"That's not what I meant."

I froze, understanding seeping into my mind. She didn't want to let me loose in public, yet. A sudden pang of guilt hit me and I felt myself begin to lose my case.

Before I could back down, I lifted my chin.

"We don't need to go where humans are," I said, stiffly. "I get that much. What about the forest where you guys play ball?"

She was still hesitant.

"I don't know. I'd feel much better if Edward was here to take you - "

"Well, he's not here! I don't know where he is and I'm going _insane_ here," I glared. Alice looked deep into my eyes as if she were looking for something.

"You _are _thirsty," she muttered.

"I could've _told _you that. In fact, I think I _did_."

"Okay, okay. Why don't I get you something to tie you over and when Edward gets back - "

"I don't want to wait!" I snapped. "If you're not going to take me, I'll just go by myself and probably get mauled by a couple of grizzly bears and maybe a mountain lion!"

Alice scowled, her elegant features curling up.

"_Fine_," she growled. "I'll take you. But we go by _my _rules and you do not leave my side unless I specifically tell you that you can. Is that clear?"

"Crystal!" I smile brightly at her. She glares again, shaking her head and muttering something under her breath.

………

Alice ended up taking me to an abandoned park by the edge of the forest - as far away from civilian life as possible. I could feel my adrenaline already start to race and bounced up and down eagerly in the passenger seat of her Mercedes.

"We're not going for anything big today," she instructed. "Maybe an deer or an elk. Nothing with teeth and claws or is remotely aggressive."

"Okay!"

She glanced at my excited face and sighed. "I knew this was a bad idea," she grumbled.

Alice parked the car discreetly behind a bush by the shoulder of the road and we slipped into the dark trees silently. I didn't realize how fast we were moving until I turned my head and noticed the trees flying past us as we trailed deep into the woods.

"Okay, here," she breathed in slowly and we stopped in front of an ancient-looking oak. I gulped, suddenly anxious.

I could feel the dead blood in my body racing through unused veins. I rocked back and forth on my feet, trying to release some of the sudden energy.

"Lesson the first," Alice whispered, her hand shooting out to rest on my shoulder. "Be stealthy. That means _stop _all your impatient bouncing."

I grinned sheepishly and froze, working hard not to move a muscle. She rolled her eyes.

"Lesson the second. Relax. Animals sense tension like nothing other."

I opened my mouth to complain, but she cut me off sharply.

"And be quiet," she ordered. I pressed my lips together. We stood there for the longest time, slightly crouched, not moving, and not making a sound.

After five minutes, I grew tired and was about to shift when I suddenly heard something crunch. That's when the heady scent of warm, live blood rushed to my head.

This time was nothing like the first time or the human, though. This time, I felt the sudden hunger, but I squelched it down forcibly.

"You hear that?" Alice's voice was barely a whisper. I nodded. "Do you _smell _that?" I glanced at her, then nodded again.

"Good," she murmured. "Lesson the third. Choose one animal and chase only that animal. Many vampires get overwhelmed by the number of living things in a forest that we're not efficient. The trick to being a good hunter is detecting _one _thing and focusing on bringing it down."

We fell into another silence except this time, my ears were tuned into the animal slowly making it's way in our direction.

"What do you think it is?" Alice asked softly. I breathed in, slowly, trying to place the scent.

It was similar to the very first deer I've ever eaten, but something was different. This blood was richer, more bountiful, - the animal was bigger.

"An elk," I answered, narrowing my eyes in the direction of the slow, soft _scrunch_ of forest leaves on the ground.

"Very good," she praised.

I kept listening to the elk that had to be at least fifty to a hundred yards away, waiting for it to get closer. But, much to my frustration, it never did. It seemed to be carefully avoiding the immediate area where Alice and I stood.

"Next lesson," Alice continued. "Animals are very perceptive. They're excellent at sensing a vampire nearby, though they might not recognize that they're in immediate danger. Now. You're fast, you're sharp, but _never _think that you can outrun a deer easily.

"I'm not saying that you can't, because you most definitely _can_. But if you think that way, you forget to be stealthy and you end up on the chase longer than what's healthy. Right now, I want you to listen to that deer. I want you to know exactly where it is at all times. Then, when your instincts tell you that it's time to pounce, _run._ Don't worry about anything that might be in your way. Just _run._

"Are you ready?"

What a question. I was already crouched in a runner's stance, ready to dash.

"Yes," I answered, breathlessly.

She nodded. "Then _go_."

And off I ran.

The second my foot left the ground, the elk sprinted away. There was no way to describe the chase that could do it justice.

I've never been athletic. In fact, I've always been _clumsy_. If I were a human, I would've run into every single tree in my way, but as a vampire - I barely got snagged by a twig.

The feeling was absolute exhilaration. I could feel the wind against my face, cool and refreshing. The speed blurred my mind, but my feet kept going. My target wasn't fast enough and before I could think, I was leaping through the air, diving for the escaping elk.

Needless to say, I missed. I expected to find my hands full of a bucking animal, but I acquainted myself with the ground.

"Shit," I spat out, furious with myself. For a split second, I looked back and realized that Alice was now nowhere in sight. Unfortunately for my prey, I could still smell where the elk was and immediately took off again.

The second time, I was luckier. When I landed on the elk, I heard the sounds of bones crunching and before I could help myself, I sank my teeth into its hide, need for blood dizzying my head.

The animal yelled out a horrible sound and I barely registered that it was dying slowly. As quickly as I could, I reached out and snapped its neck, never freeing my teeth from its flesh.

_I did it_, I thought as I finished and stood up, looking at the dead elk at my feet. I couldn't fight the wave of pride, but I couldn't keep off the feeling of disgust. _I did it_. I did _that_.

_I _was responsible for the mauled animal in front of me.

"Survival of the fittest," I muttered to myself, wrenching my eyes away.

It was time to find Alice.

Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks. My nostrils flared. Something strong and bitter permeated the air, stronger than the scent of fresh blood coating my lips. Something that made my entire body tense, fully alert. The sounds of heavy, scratchy breathing reached my ears accompanied by an even, faint growl.

A branch snapped from behind me and slowly, I turned around, ready to face whatever it was - and gasped.

"_Bella_?" it rasped out.

I faintly registered who it was as I automatically backed away, snarling and baring my blood-stained teeth.

_Jacob_.

**A/N:** I think the hunt-lesson scene's too rushed, but I can't really think of any other way to write it. Gah! And, I was excited to get to the surprise at the end I know many stories on this site are targeted around the Edward/Bella love story, but I think these chapters of plot developments are necessary, so sorry that Edward's not back yet! He _will _be back _very _soon (like next chapter soon), though.

And I've gotten a few questions about Bella's appearance and powers - here's what I have to say. _Everything in good time_. Be patient and it'll be worth it, because Bella's got an _awesome_ power and I already have a scene between her and Edward that talks about her physical appearance written.

Anyways, another apology for the lack of Edward/Bella during the last two chapters. Remember, this is my interpretation of how the series will continue, so there's going to be other stuff going on besides just their romance. But no fear! There will be TONS of E/B interactions soon. So much so, that I'm debating whether I should change this rating to M. We'll see.

More good news: I was stuck at Rice Univ. yesterday, took out my Calc notebook and instead of doing homework, I outlined the rest of the chapters! So yes, _Burn Beautiful_ is fully outlined and is looking to be 29 chapters long. Maybe 30 if I feel like writing an epilogue - probably not, though, since it never really ends, does it?

Okay, this note's gone too long, so thanks for the reviews guys! And I hope you keep reading and enjoying. Constructive criticism is welcome, too.


	12. Werewolves

**Ch. 12: Werewolves**

We stood frozen, facing each other and blatantly staring. I barely noticed the low, steady snarling and when I did, I realized that the sound was coming from both of us.

Jacob was half-crouched and balanced on the balls of his feet, arms extended and hands curled into hard claws. His teeth were bared and the shocked expression in his eyes was slowly melting into disbelief.

"Bella?" he choked out, breaking the spell.

I was caught between two extremes again, a place I was getting pretty sick of. There was a small part inside that screamed out _"Enemy!" _as it took in the sight of my best friend and I hated it. I couldn't think of him as anything other than Jacob. Jake. My best friend, my favorite werewolf, my protector -

"Bella, what have you _done_?"

His tone was drenched in remorse and quickly turning into a sharp anger I was beginning to know too well. One look at him and whatever fight had been in me completely drained.

He looked utterly heartbroken.

"Jake," I murmured, unconsciously reaching out toward him. At first, he flinched and I paused. He was so close yet so unreachable. I couldn't shake the feeling that a permanent barrier had been erected between us.

In a way, I understood. I understood in a way that made me wish I didn't. This barrier - this wall - was because of _what _we were, what we'd become. Not because of _who _we were. Are.

I wanted to tell him this. I wanted to scream it. Instead, I just dropped my hand back to my side and stared into his handsome, stricken face.

"I had to," I whispered.

"But _why_."

He sounded so betrayed. When I didn't answer, he tilted his head back and roared. It was an loud, frustrated roar, one that would've sent me running weeks ago, but now, I lowered my gaze to the ground and let him vent out his anger.

I almost smiled. It was so _like _Jacob to react like this. He was always hot-tempered, always -

"Is this why you didn't call?" he was asking.

"Huh?"

"The past two weeks," he clarified, dark eyes locking onto mine. Something about me must have startled him because he suddenly stumbled back.

"Jesus Christ," he muttered, averting his eyes. "Your eyes. They're _red_."

I blinked.

"Does that mean you've been drinking _human _blood?" he asked, sounding positively sickened.

"No!" I denied vehemently. "Who do you think I am?"

He visibly relaxed but I was seething. Did he really think so little of me? I would've been insulted, but something deep inside ached. I wanted my Jake back and the horrified look on his face hurt me.

"How long?" he asked.

"About a week."

"And you never - " he started, then paused, taking a moment to compose himself. "You never told me."

I straightened, slightly. Instinct immediately screamed at me for getting out of my defensive position, but this was _Jacob_. Instinct could go to hell.

"What if I did?" I asked him, clenching my fists to my side. "What would that have helped? What would you have done?"

"Stopped you, damn it!"

"Exactly."

"Bella - "

His sentence cut off as he jerked his head to the side. My ears strained and I heard it too - the sounds of a pack of oversized wolves swiftly running through the forest.

It was Sam and his clan, coming to find Jacob, possibly coming to take me down. My feet were immediately tensed, ready to take off, but I waited, keeping my eyes on Jacob.

His eyes met mine and I saw the conflict flicker through them. It was a conflict I was familiar with - whether or not the right thing to do was worth it versus a primal instinct that ran through every bone of our body. For a moment, his striking face seemed pained and I thought he'd made his mind. He would hand me over to his pack.

The sounds grew louder; the pack was approaching. Jacob opened his mouth then closed it again, turning his head in the direction of the yips and short howls.

"Jacob," I whispered.

"Run," he suddenly snapped, turning his gaze back to me. There was a deep panic in his eyes this time and I realized he chose me. _Me_. My heart expanded, elated.

"Jake - " I wanted to tell him that I loved him, that he'd be my best friend forever no matter what happened.

"Run, Bella! _Now_."

I spun on my heel and took off in the opposite direction. I knew I shouldn't have, but I wanted to see him one last time. Against my better judgment, I turned my head back and saw him staring after me.

_Bye_, I whispered in my head, then ran off.

That one second I took for that one last glance was a second too long. The growls of four angry werewolves were less than fifty meters away and closing in fast.

I was brought back to an experience years ago. In fifth grade, I knew a boy named Oz Lewis. He'd always make us play hide and seek during recess and he _always_ had to be It. The one thing about Oz was that he loved to scare, chase, and do everything _but _maul you to death when he found you, so we learned real fast to find the best hiding places ever. But no matter where we hid, sooner or later, Oz's triumphant, sneering face would be inches away and we'd be pulled into the open and taunted. It became so bad that whenever he was _near _where I was hidden, I'd feel the urge to jump out by myself and declare myself 'out' to save myself from the trauma.

The growling of the werewolves were spread out now and I realized they were surrounding me and circling, closing the distance between us. As they drew nearer, I thought about Oz Lewis and how I'd throw myself out of the game before the inevitable. The feeling I had then - the moment before he'd find me - was the same feeling I had right now, except right now, it was a million times worse. A million times more terrifying.

Sam's pack was circling me and the faster I ran, the smaller the circles were getting. I wanted to press pause, jump out of this game, maybe call a time-out, but all I did was race through the trees, pushing myself to go faster.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a huge wolf running alongside me, teeth bared into a vicious snarl. When he leapt, I dropped to the ground and braced myself. My eyes closed and the first - and maybe last - thought that crossed my mind was _Edward_…

The impact never came. Instead, there was a sickening thud and the sound of a few branches breaking and crashing to the ground. My nostrils dilated and I caught the familiar sweet scent of…

"Bella, you need to get up," Edward's urgent voice brushed against my ear. A strong hand wrapped around my arm and I felt myself get pulled up from the ground.

"Edward?" I whimpered, not sure if I was dreaming or not.

"Yes," he answered, tightening his grip. "Bella, open your eyes."

My eyes popped open and I saw his worried face inches away from mine. My heart jumped and I forgot all about the werewolves and the Volturi and Felix and Charlie and marriages … anything other than _Edward, Edward, Edward_.

"You're back!" I exclaimed and launched myself at him. He stumbled back a little but then his hands were gripping my hips, pulling me as close as possible. I heard a groan come from the back of his throat and felt his soft lips press against my neck as I buried my head in his shoulder.

Suddenly, he tensed and started pushing me away. My entire body screamed in protest and I tightened my arms.

"We've got company," his voice was low and I felt his cool breath against my neck. That's when I heard the multiple growls of the werewolves who've made a perfect circle around us.

A shiver jolted down my spine and suddenly, the air felt too hot. I slowly stepped away from Edward and set my eyes on the biggest wolf with jet-black fur and sharp teeth bared. Edward kept a protective arm around my waist, rotating slowly to look at the snarling wolves around us.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a rust-colored wolf looking at me. It was the only one _not _growling. I swallowed. _Jacob_. He looked away.

"We don't want to fight," Edward said slowly and evenly. The black one - Sam - snapped his jaw and his tail rose even more, bristling with anger. The wolves each took a menacing step closer.

Edward didn't crouch down into an attack stance. Instead, he stood tall and tilted his chin up, an unreadable expression on his stone, cold face.

"New lines need to be drawn," he continued, not looking the least bit intimidated. I was shaking through my bones. His thumb stroked my side, trying to comfort me as he talked. "There are things you don't know about - _should _know about - "

Suddenly, Carlisle stepped through the circle of wolves. Immediately, my shoulders relaxed. He handled himself with such grace and authority - even the werewolves seemed to lessen their growling.

"Sam," he began, addressing the black wolf. "I can't talk to you when you're like this."

There was a long moment of deadly silence and suddenly, we heard a tiny crack of bones as the wolf began to morph into the man. I let out an embarrassed "eep" when I realized that Sam stood naked in his man form. One of the werewolves - Jared? - heard me and I could've sworn I saw his black lips curl up in a smirk. I hid my face in Edward's chest.

His chest was rocking slightly, obviously holding back his laughter. I frowned. It's not like I _meant _to be so naïve and embarrassed. I just didn't have the hundred of years he had to be comfortable in the presence of a … naked man. My lips curved up into a smile against his shirt - I guess my antics _were_ a little ridiculous.

For another second, I forgot about the werewolves all over again. What did they matter? Edward was back! The urge to smack him for making me worry was trumped by the urge to feel next to me and I fisted a handful of his shirt.

Alice, Emmett, and Jasper had arrived with Carlisle and I felt their reassuring presence as they stood by us. Alice's hand was clasped in Jasper's and Emmett was walking tall, acting as threatening as he could. When he saw me, his face broke out into a friendly smile before hardening again as he regarded the werewolves surrounding us. I grinned to myself. It was almost unbelievable how safe I felt with them.

I heard a faint ripping sound and looked down at my hand, surprised.

"Sorry," I murmured, taking in the large tear in Edward's shirt. I'd been clenching it too tight and it tore in my grip. My eyes flickered up to see Edward staring down at me with an amused expression.

He bent down to whisper in my ear.

"If you wanted me with my clothes off… all you had to do was ask," his velvety voice purred quietly and I bit my lip to stop a giggle. "No need to destroy my shirts."

It was such an inappropriate thing to say, especially in the tight situation we were in, but his light, teasing tone calmed my nerves tremendously. I reached up to press a soft kiss under his jaw.

Something in his eyes shifted and I saw the amusement change to a mixture of relief and longing, then to annoyance and a hint of anger. When he noticed me staring, he averted his gaze.

"What is it?" I asked softly.

"After this, Alice and I are going to have a _talk_."

_Oh. _I cringed.

"It's not her fault," I tried to tell him, but he shot me a glare. I poked him lightly on his side. "I begged her to take me hunting. I _forced _her."

"I specifically told her that you weren't ready. And apparently, I was right."

"But this would've happened anyways!" my voice rose in pitch and volume. "Whether it was now or later, with you or Alice - "

A snarl and a snap of jaw shut me up. One of the werewolves - Paul - had overheard our private conversation and was now giving us an evil eye. Edward narrowed his own eyes and I heard a low snarl rumble through his chest. I splayed my hand across his hard stomach and rested my head on his shoulder, trying to calm him.

We returned our attention to the terse voice of Sam Uley.

"We had a pact. You deliberately broke it."

"Yes, I did," Carlisle nodded gravely. "But under the circumstances, some events couldn't be helped," he added.

"Nothing justifies turning somebody into a vampire," Sam's dark eyes flickered my way before returning to Carlisle's.

"It was for her safety, Sam."

"You could have trusted her with us."

Carlisle didn't agree. "Not when the Volturi are involved," he said.

"The Volturi?" Thick eyebrows rose and the low noises coming from the four other werewolves ceased.

"You've heard of them?"

"_Everybody's_ heard of them," Sam spat. "My question is why the likes of the Volturi have anything to do with what's going on _here_. We didn't draw a treaty for you to bring more blood-suckers onto our land, Carlisle."

"And we haven't. Everything we've done is to _keep _the Volturi from coming. Bella's change was inevitable. It was for the best and you know that. You'd also be interested to know that - "

Sam cut him off. "My only interest is the safety of my people and the people in Forks," he looked my way again, letting his eyes linger this time. "And the safety of my people does _not _include letting a new vampire loose on them. _That _only promises bloodshed, dead bodies, and a possible massacre."

"Now wait a - " I tried to protest, but Edward jerked his head to the side, signaling me to keep quiet. I bit down on my lip and looked away.

"I had no problem with Bella as a human," Sam continued, "But having her as a vampire is too volatile. Too dangerous."

"She's under my watch," Carlisle's voice rose a notch. "She's under all of our watch and we promise that nothing will happen as long as we're here with her."

For a moment, Sam didn't say anything. Finally, he sighed.

"I trust you, Carlisle," he said carefully, "And most of the time, I trust your judgment. We'll let you go this time."

I let out a breath in relief.

"Thank you," Carlisle gave him a short nod.

The other werewolves were all staring at Sam, seemingly in disbelief. He wasn't finished yet.

"Be warned. If _anybody_ in this town turns up hurt, or worse, dead, _you_ are responsible. Don't expect this to be the last time you hear from us."

With that, he grimaced and swiftly changed back into his wolf form. He swished his tail and turned his back, trotting away. The other werewolves reluctantly followed, but not before glowering at us.

I turned to see Jacob standing where he was, looking my way. Our eyes locked and for a long time, neither of us moved. Finally, he lowered his head and whirled around, bounding away with the rest of his pack.

The moment they were all out of eyesight, Edward picked me up and twirled me around in a circle, making me squeal.

When he put me down, his eyes were shining and his lips were quirked up in a little half-smile.

"Now tell me," he said in a deceptively light tone. "What the _hell _were you and Alice thinking, hunting this close to La Push territory all by yourselves?"

I cast Alice an apologetic look and she wrinkled her nose, shaking her head and sighing.

"How about you tell _me_ why you didn't come back at sun-up like you promised… _five days ago_."

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**Author's Note:** Gah, this chapter took me forever to write. It'd entirely my fault this time, too. I had _time _to work on it, but I got caught up writing original work (part of which is posted on fictionpress, check it out if you're interested!). This isn't the last of Jacob and the werewolves. The next two chapters were my favorite to plan and so far, the writing's coming a lot quicker. It's where things will start making much more sense, questions will be answered, etc. etc. etc. Thanks for the reviews, guys!

To answer a particular question/concern:

Some people tell me that Bella was acting a little out of character for the past few chapters… I guess that's true. The reason behind that's obvious, though. She just turned into a vampire and she's overwhelmed with these feeling that she never had to deal with before, so of course, some of the things she does might seem odd. I'm _trying_ to keep her as much "in character" as I can, though.


	13. Reasons

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing... except a few original characters that will soon be introduced. And even THEY aren't completely original because... they're the type of vampires that Ms. Meyer made up! I can't win, can I?**  
**

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**Ch. 13: Reasons**

Edward frowned at me.

"Don't change the subject," he said flatly, dropping his arm from my waist and letting it hang loosely by his side. I widened my eyes, surprised at the anger glaring out from his topaz irises.

Alice saw the tension that had suddenly risen up between us and stepped forward, opening her mouth to speak.

"Not now, Alice," he interrupted her before she could say anything. "I already know what you think. I want to know what _Bella _was thinking."

My arms folded across my chest and my jaw tightened. He noticed my annoyed expression and his face turned icy.

"Just because you're a vampire now and stronger than before doesn't mean you can be so careless!" his voice was steadily rising and his fists were tightly clenched. "Do you know how close the werewolves were to _killing _you? Do you _care_?"

"Of course I care," I snapped.

"Then why, Bella? Why couldn't you just let Alice bring you back something? Why did you have to hunt so close to Quileute territory? You're not grasping the danger you're putting yourself and everybody else in! You never have and now I'm starting to think you never will."

"Stop it, Edward," Alice cut in, her voice just as chilling. She rested a hand on my shoulder and gently squeezed. "I could've easily told her to wait, but - "

"Then why didn't you?" he shouted. His beautiful face was openly livid, his bright eyes shooting sparks. I looked at him quietly, trying to stamp down my own irritation.

"Because it wouldn't have been the right decision!"

"Of course. Superb decision-making skills, sister _dear_," he spat out. "What a brilliant situation you put us all in. Surrounded by five salivating werewolves. Couldn't have done better myself."

"Cut the sarcasm, _Edward_," she glared up at him, "This isn't the time or place."

"Then when do _you _think is the right time to talk about this, oh great decision-making one? When Bella's torn to pieces by some werewolf who couldn't control himself? When she accidentally comes across a human being and kills him because she can't - "

His rant brought back the not-so-distant memory of the UPS man and I guess Alice was thinking about the same thing, because Edward suddenly grew silent. His mouth opened but no sound came out.

I shifted, bringing his attention back to me.

"Who are you going to blame for that, Edward?" I asked, quietly. "Me? Alice? Tell me, who wasn't there when I needed him the most?"

"Bella - " his voice was strained and I saw his hand reaching out for me. I wanted to step into his arms and stay there forever, but restricted myself.

"Don't touch me!" I choked out, frustrated. His apologetic eyes hardened. "You suddenly show up out of _nowhere_ and when we're finally - " I broke off and took a deep breath. "The first thing you do is _yell_ at me? I was wrong, okay? Maybe I should've waited, but if I had to do it all over again, I'd still beg Alice to teach me how to hunt and - "

My voice stopped for a second time. I hated confrontations and my eyes felt like they were burning. I wanted to attack him for leaving me, for not being there for me, for accusing me of something I had no control over. The werewolves would've shown themselves sooner or later and though we were all hoping for later, I was glad it happened when it did.

Apparently, Edward wasn't and I couldn't say anything to change that.

Suddenly, my frustration mellowed out and I took a deep breath, relaxing. I cast a quick, suspicious glance in Jasper's direction.

"Damn it, Jasper," Edward muttered under his breath, but I could see the relief in his eyes.

"We shouldn't be fighting," Jasper returned. I was so exhausted from the argument, I could barely manage a grateful smile. "Especially not out here," he added, glancing in the direction Emmett and Carlisle had gone.

I hadn't even realized they'd left until he pointed it out.

"Let's go," Alice smiled, shooting Edward a warning glance before taking her place beside Jasper as they made their way through the woods.

Edward and I stood there a moment longer, him staring at me and me staring at everything _but _him. The intensity between us was so strong I could almost touch it, but right now, it wasn't the intensity I wanted.

A squirrel scampered up a tree, breaking off a small branch and making the leaves float down. To my left, I saw the sliver of orange and red through the trees. Sunrise. Edward was five sunrises later than what he promised.

His silence unnerved me and when I finally looked into his eyes, I froze. The brightness in them burned me and I wished he would say something. Anything.

The shimmering morning light cast shadows over Edward's perfect features and I saw the frustration lined in his forehead and mouth. His copper hair gleamed, slightly rustling in the light breeze. My fingers itched to run through the soft locks.

I counted down the seconds for this agonizing tension to dissolve.

He made the first move, taking a half-step in my direction.

"Bella," his voice was soft, apologetic, and I found myself rushing forward into his arms. He caught me and lifted me up off the ground, crushing me against his body.

"I'm sorry," I cried, my throat a bit scratchy. "I'm sorry for being so reckless. I really _wasn't_ thinking… I don't know what…"

His arms around me were a welcome vice and I sighed when they tightened. I pressed my face into his neck and closed my eyes, finally content.

"Don't apologize," he said into my hair and I felt him shake his head. "I was wrong. I'm the one - God, Bella."

His voice cracked and I relaxed into his embrace.

"When I saw that werewolf leaping at you - " his breath tickled my skin when he paused. "It was one of the single most frightening moments in my life," he confessed. "One werewolf couldn't do much damage, but there were _four _of them. I would've died if something happened to you."

I cringed. Did we have to go through this again? My fingers trailed down the side of his face as I clung to him. His jaw tensed and when he opened his mouth to speak again, I pulled back and kissed him.

My eyes fluttered shut as the fireworks started. I realized how long it'd been since the last time we kissed and decided that I never wanted to wait that long again. A familiar heat rushed through my body and I gasped dizzily, pulling back slightly.

"I feel drunk," I murmured in his lips. My eyes opened to lock with his. I felt his mouth curve against mine and a self-satisfactory twinkle shine in his darkened pupils.

"I have that affect on people," he teased, changing the mood completely.

"People?" I raised an eyebrow, shifting away. He held on tighter and laughed.

"I can't help it," he smirked. "It's part of my irresistible charm."

"Irresistible," I repeated to myself, shaking my head.

"You said so yourself. I _dazzle_ people, remember?"

_Arrogant bastard_, I thought to myself, fighting a smile.

"You remember that?"

"Of course."

"Oh. But by that, I meant _human _girls," I grinned. I ran my hand up his neck then traced the curve of his ear with my index finger. "I'm not a human girl anymore, Edward. Your so-called charm has absolutely no affect on me whatsoever."

His head drew dangerously close to mine and the sweetness of his breath overtook my senses. I shivered involuntarily.

"Is that so?" his soft voice was a whisper against my skin and I peered up at him with half-hooded eyes. _No. _Absolutely _not _so.

"Yes." I was setting myself up for punishment.

"I'll have to rectify that," he murmured, leaning in. The split second before his lips touched mine, he suddenly jumped back, nearly dropping me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, alarmed. He shook his head and sighed.

"Emmett called me," he pointed at his head and rolled his eyes. "He told me to 'stop canoodling and get my butt over to the house because we have important things to discuss'."

I laughed lightly and pushed off of him until I felt the ground under my feet.

"So, I guess we have to go."

"Yes," he pulled a face. "We're always getting interrupted."

"I can't wait until this is over," I muttered to myself, reaching out to take his hand.

His expression suddenly hardened as if he remembered something but he didn't say anything. I gave him a curious glance then shrugged it off.

"So, what took you guys five days," I asked as we made our way through the woods.

"You'll find out," he answered distractedly. I decided not to press the issue and just squeezed his hand.

He squeezed back.

………

"Finally!" Alice greeted with her hands on her hips when we slipped in through the back door.

I looked up, surprised at her sudden appearance.

"I'd ask where you two were, but … " she trailed off with a smirk. Edward shook his head at her before leading us into the living room where everybody else was waiting.

Alice trailed across the room to sit next to Jasper, who was studying the cracks in the coffee table - Carlisle had fixed it since Edward and Felix's brawl, but sometimes, even the best workmanship couldn't make the million pieces of splintered wood smooth over completely. Emmett was pacing across the room and Rosalie was sitting on the couch, watching him intently. Carlisle and Esme were standing together, their expressions grave and tense.

I sensed the mood shift immediately and stiffened.

Emmett spun around and sent Edward a slight glare.

"Took you long enough," he raised an eyebrow.

Edward shrugged. "We're here now, so why don't we get to the point."

I turned to him. "Did you guys find out anything about Felix?" I asked, taking his advice and cutting to the chase.

His expression immediately darkened. Jasper lifted his eyes and immediately, the tension settling around my shoulders lifted.

"Yes," Edward answered and the hand holding my hip tightened. "We tracked him."

I lifted my eyebrows. "I thought you said you weren't any good at tracking."

Emmett snorted.

"Edward can speak for himself," he said, smiling wryly. "Jasper and I happen to be excellent trackers."

He shared a glance with Jasper and they laughed. Edward sent them both a glare.

"Oh, shut up, you two," Alice cut in, her eyes twinkling. I peered down and noticed she was squeezing the life out of Jasper's hand. "Tell me what you found out. This whole thing's driving me insane. I can't see _anything_ Felix's planning. Maybe it's because I don't have a very good hold on him, but - this has _never _happened before."

"We know," Edward grumbled. I stroked the back of his hand with my palm, trying to relax him. He barely even noticed as he looked straight at Carlisle and started talking.

"We trailed up upstate, near the Canadian border," he said, his face ashen. "Felix met up with Victoria."

"Victoria?" Carlisle straightened at the name. Edward nodded. His entire body was trembling and I heard a low growl start from his chest as he repeated the name.

Emmett spoke up, his voice uncharacteristically lethal. "I wanted to run in and tear that good-for-nothing bitch to pieces, but these two buffoons held me back."

"Good thing too," Jasper retorted, leaning back. "The story gets even better."

I groaned. Alice and Rosalie looked just as miserable.

"Better?" Rosalie's voice was meek.

"Yeah."

"Wait, why was Felix with Victoria anyway?" I asked, dreading the answer.

Pause.

Edward released my hand and ran his hands roughly through his hair, messing it up even more. His mouth pressed into a tight, angry line.

"Victoria's out for revenge, Bella," Jasper answered for him. His voice was light, but his entire demeanor was on edge. "Apparently, she intercepted Felix on his way to Forks. While he was here, she was just a few towns away, waiting for him to report back to her. She'll stop at nothing."

"They're _mates_ now," Edward spat out, clearly disgusted. "She knew his connection to the Volturi and turned it against him. She played on _all _his insecurities. Told him he would amount to nothing, he'd be a Volturi guard for eternity if he stayed with them. Propositioned him into joining her and her _vendetta_."

"What, and he just _accepted_?" Alice sounded surprised. "He turned his back from his clan of hundreds of years… for her?"

"Because he's weak," Emmett's voice was condescending. "He's that type, too. It didn't take her long to convince him to follow her."

Alice squinted and after a few seconds, let out a frustrated growl.

"Why can't I _see _this?" she cried out, throwing her hands up in the air. Jasper reached out to touch her shoulder and she just shrugged him off, opting to stand and pace around the room.

If possible, Edward's expression darkened even more.

"There's more," he said, voice flat. "Victoria wasn't alone when she recruited Felix. She was with the Aurelius clan."

"The Aurelius clan," Carlisle repeated. I saw Esme's alarmed look as she glanced up at Carlisle. He shook his head, tiredly. "So. This is worse than I imagined. Was it the same lot? Dorian, Iris, Adrien, and Jasmine?"

"No. Only Dorian, Iris, and Adrien. We don't know what happened to Jasmine."

"Of course," Carlisle rubbed his forehead, furrowing his brow. "Of course," he muttered again. "The weakest link gets eliminated. Jasmine never _could _make it with the likes of the Dorian."

Rosalie and Emmett were the only two who looked as bewildered as I did. Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Alice, and Jasper all had similar grim expressions clouding their features.

"Well," Alice mumbled, tugging at her short hair, "That definitely explains why I can't see them."

For a while, nobody responded. I was too confused to say anything. A million questions flooded my mind, but I had a feeling they were all about to be explained. Finally, Carlisle spoke again. "Do you know what Dorian's planning?"

Edward opened his mouth then closed it again.

Jasper answered for him with a quick shake of his head.

"No," he muttered. "We didn't stick around. We needed to warn you - we can't stay in Forks anymore."

I stared at him, shocked. The look on Edward's face confirmed what Jasper was saying and my jaw nearly dropped to the ground.

"You can't be _serious_," I gaped. "What about - "

"We are," Edward said firmly, leaving no room for questions.

"But - "

"No buts, Bella. We need to leave tonight."

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**AN: **Yay! So, I finally introduced the Aurelius clan: Dorian, Iris, and Adrien. The name of the clan is entirely taken from BtVS - the clan Angel, Spike, Drusilla, Darla, the Master, etc. were in. The only relation this clan has with that one is the name. The vampires are completely original characters with completely original powers. For some very good reasons, Dorian's my favorite character. You guys haven't met him yet, but I promise you you'll like him, even though he's the villain. I'm excited about next chapter… and even more excited about the chapter after that because you-know-what will be introduced. Wait… you don't know what? Well, you'll find out! cheeky grin 

I'm excited about Spring Break. Lots of writing will get done!

Also - I'm combining the next two chapters together. Alone, they both seemed too short, so it's going to be... pretty supersized.


	14. Tales, Commands

**Ch. 14 p.1: Tales**

_"No buts, Bella. We need to leave tonight."_

I blinked, wondering if I heard him right. Leave? _Tonight?_ A million thoughts ran through my head, a million situations and scenarios - none of them resulting in _leaving_. I caught Rosalie and Emmett's equally surprised expressions and exhaled, relieved.

"No," I said, looking straight into Edward's eyes. Something in them shifted as if he was surprised. _I _was even surprised at the firmness in my voice.

"Bella - "

"Find another way," I commanded. He took a step closer to me and I had to tilt my head up to meet his gaze. I silently swore to myself, wishing I could be just a little bit taller.

"You don't think I've tried? There _is _no other way!"

"Then try harder!" It came out less like a demand and more like a plea. The frustration was plain in his face.

"This is not up for debate," his jaw flinched as he drew out each word.

I lifted my chin, refusing to be defeated so easily.

"What about Charlie?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice even. "He still thinks we're taking a road trip to Jacksonville. What happens when he calls Renee and realizes that I'm not there?"

"We'll handle that when the time comes."

"What about the Volturi? Why can't you just contact them, tell them their guard is misbehaving, and have _them_ handle Felix? Why can't - "

"Bella," Edward's pained expression made me pause mid-rant. "The best way to do this is if the Volturi are _not _involved. Believe me."

Okay, I could accept that, but - "What's so special about the Aurelius clan, anyway? There're only three vampires, right? Dori - whoever? Three of them with Victoria and Felix against eight of us. How bad can it be?"

Carlisle was the one to answer me this time.

"Quite bad," he said, his voice thin. "I'm afraid you don't - fully understand how powerful the Aurelians are."

"Maybe you should tell us," Emmett spoke up, sitting down next to Rosalie, who immediately leaned against his shoulder. "Bella's not the only one still in the dark. When we were up north, all Edward and Jasper would do was shake their heads at me when I asked them who the Aurelians were. It got… annoying."

Carlisle nodded, looking disturbed. Esme placed a hand on his arm and whispered something unintelligible in his ear. Without saying anything, Alice and Jasper stood and left the room together. When I looked at their retreating backs, Edward leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"They've both met Dorian before they joined us," he informed me, quietly. "The last thing they need is a recap."

"That bad?" I looked up at his face. He gave me a rigid smile and nodded his head once. I involuntarily moved closer to him and he automatically placed an arm around my shoulders.

After a short moment of silence, Carlisle began.

"The Aurelius Clan is one of the oldest and only group of vampires who live together and aren't different like us," he paused, lifting his eyes as if he was trying to remember something important. "They're also considered the most lethal. Similar to the Volturi except much less … civilized."

I almost snorted at that, remembering the group of tourists they had rounded up to eat. _Civilized_, I shivered as he went on.

"Adrien was the first of them. He was a prisoner during the French Revolution. A direct relative of the Duke d'Aguillon at the time, I believe. Rumors have it that he was bitten by a crow in his jail cell that happened to carry the disease. That's supposedly how he escaped. When the change was completed, he just tore out of the prison.

"They say that at first, he resisted the urge to kill but the bloodlust was too strong, especially with the war going on. There was so much bloodshed at the time and he began to pillage small towns and villages one by one. The only reason why he was never caught by humans was because there was never anybody left to tell the tale. The poor people of France just used the massacres as propaganda against the French army. Those fools.

"The interesting part is when Aro caught wind of what Adrien was doing, the Volturi guards actually brought him in for trial. He was breaking every vampiric code in the book.

"He met Iris when he was in Volterra, waiting for his sentence. She was about to officially become a member of the Volturi. Her ability was - is - extraordinary. She could freeze people's minds - literally turn off their ability to think and function. That ability can kill a human on the spot, but it makes a vampire a living statue. It's completely deadly and the Volturi wanted it. But before Iris could join them, she fell in love with Adrien. She helped him escape and they ran off together."

I interrupted at that point. "That's… horribly romantic," I commented.

Carlisle gave me a wan smile. "Romantic, maybe. But together, Adrien and Iris were a dangerous combination. They still are."

"You never said what Adrien's ability was."

"He can - sort of _block_ the affect of other vampire's powers against him and whoever he's around. That's why Alice couldn't see their faces when she tried to look into our future. She wont be able to tell when they're coming - "

"I couldn't read their minds," Edward inserted. He bowed his head, resting his cheek against mine. "It was disconcerting."

"I wonder - " Carlisle gave me a funny look. "Because you're _immune_ to powers in general, I wonder if … he would be able to block _your _ability if you ever go against him."

I grunted, unattractively. "If I ever _get _an ability, you mean."

He ignored me, continuing with his train of thought. "It's a double immunity, you see? Since you're not affected by him, that means that he can't cloak himself and the people he's with against your ability … "

The entire subject about my nonexistent 'ability' was irking me, so I sighed and prodded him on about the Aurelius clan.

"You still haven't mentioned Dorian," I reminded. "And before, you made it sound like he's their leader."

At this, Carlisle's face darkened. "Yes. Dorian," he murmured. "Dorian's the one that Alice and Jasper had the misfortune of bumping into. He's - "

He broke off, swallowing visibly. Esme tightened her grasp on his arm, trying to soothe him.

"I've encountered him once before," he said after a few seconds. "It was one of the most horrific experiences of my life.

"Dorian and Jasmine joined the Aurelius clan at the turn of last century. Adrien and Iris happened to be on the same ship over to the Americas as they were. Needless to say, there were no survivors on that vessel. At the time, Dorian was a relatively young vampire. Young and extremely powerful. His entire family was killed by a vampire named Julian and he was the only one that woke up three days later. That's all anybody really knows. One would think that the experience would make him hate being a vampire, but the exact opposite happened. He _loved _it to the point of absolute sickness.

"To him, feeding was a game more than a necessity. As a rule, he only fed off of females and that's not all - he would stalk the female for months, driving her literally crazy before finishing her off. Jasmine was … one of Dorian's obsessions. Instead of drinking her, he turned her, but she was never as powerful as she should have been, probably because of her broken mind.

"In Europe, Dorian was a terror to … everyone. Even some of the oldest vampires turned tail whenever he was near. The Volturi would have wanted him but he was too uncontrollable. Nobody could touch him. Aro, himself, wouldn't dare to approach him."

Carlisle stopped to clear his throat. "And you're probably wondering what his great ability is?"

I nodded, mutely, dreading the answer. My short rendezvous with the Volturi was enough to give me nightmares. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know what this Dorian could do.

"Dorian has the power of illusion," Carlisle said softly. I blinked.

"Illusion," I echoed, unsure.

"You don't appreciate it because you've never experienced it. It's - difficult to describe, really. What Dorian basically does is manipulate your understanding of your surroundings. You can be standing with him in the middle of a church and suddenly, it'll feel like you're standing in the pits of hell. Flames will spring up all around you, the sky will darken, rain will fall, lightning flash, the works. And the worst part is that it's all in your head. You keep telling yourself that none of it's _real_, but that doesn't stop you from feeling the burn of the fire. Your _mind_, Bella. It's the most precious thing we have. It's what balances us, keeps us sane, keeps us in control - without it is a scary thing. As long as he's close, he can make you feel like you're walking across live ice or scalding fire. It's enough to drive anybody mad."

When he broke off, I assumed he was finished.

"Am I … susceptible to this? I'm immune from most powers, right?" I asked timidly.

"I hope to God you are," he answered, his voice grave. "But even Adrien couldn't cloak Iris and himself from Dorian's illusions. That's why they joined up with him instead of opposing him."

"I guess we'll have to wait and see," I muttered. Edward looked up, alarmed.

"There'll be no _waiting_ and _seeing_," his voice was clipped. I opened my mouth to protest, but Carlisle shook his head.

"I'm afraid Edward's right," he sighed. "It's far too dangerous for you to ever cross their path. Our best bet is to leave. Get as far away as possible."

Emmett spoke up.

"They would expect that, wouldn't they?" he asked. I looked at him gratefully. Finally, a supporter. He gave me a thin smile.

Edward narrowed his eyes. "I don't care what they expect. We're not staying to see what damage they can do."

"But - Charlie!" I protested. "And the Quileutes! What'll happen to them?"

"I doubt Victoria and the Aurelius will even bother coming back to Forks if you're not here. Which you wont be."

"Then what's the point?" my voice was steadily rising. "They'll just keep chasing me, right? I refuse to be a fugitive for the rest of my life."

"Well it seems we have no _choice_," He gritted his teeth. His eyes flashed angrily.

"We _always _have a choice," I countered. "We can stay here and _fight_."

"Don't delude yourself, Bella. If we stay, we'll _lose_."

Emmett cut in. "Maybe we wont," he interjected. Edward silenced him with a ferocious snarl.

"Running away isn't winning," I ignored them both. Carlisle was watching us volley words back and forth with a blank expression while Esme looked exasperated. None of them offered any help.

"It'll buy us time. For once, see reason!"

"There is no _reason_ in leaving behind people who need us. That's _cowardly_."

"You're missing - "

"STOP!!"

Alice's voice rang clear through the air like a missile and we all turned to see her standing at the doorway. Her face was white and the faint bruises beneath her eyes were darker than usual. It was the expression on her face that shut us all up.

"We're not leaving," she pronounced each word slowly. Her voice was soft and firm, leaving no room for objections. Edward opened his mouth to speak, but Alice shot him an annoyed glance.

Jasper's jaw was clenched as he looked at all of us scattered in the living room.

"Is this the time to be arguing?" he asked quietly.

I looked at my feet. I felt Edward's presence beside me but refused to look at him.

Carlisle straightened, frowning. "Alice, you've already seen what Dorian can do. Are you sure - "

"Yes," she nodded. "We _must _stay. I just got another vision less than a minute ago. I saw them clearly this time."

"That means they must've wanted you to see this," Carlisle noted. She just shrugged.

"Whether or not, it's going to happen. I don't think it's meant to throw me off - I think it's meant to be a message."

Edward made an impatient sound from the back of his throat. Alice closed her eyes and he suddenly quieted.

"Damn," he swore. Alice raised her eyebrows in agreement. The rest of us stood, waiting for one of them to tell us what Alice's vision was.

"They're heading to Forks right now. They'll be here in roughly twenty-four hours, give or take an hour or so. They want Bella - and if she's not here, they'll take over this town and kill everybody in it. _Everybody_." Alice's voice sounded choked and my eyes widened, horrified.

"I don't think they're exaggerating, either," Edward mumbled, reaching out and pulling me close to his side. I bit my lip and refrained from saying '_I told you so_.'

"So," Emmett huffed, sticking his hands into his pant's pocket. "What do we do now?"

**Ch. 14 p.2: Commands**

Edward's shoulders sagged and I saw the pain etched out so plainly across his face. He seemed completely defeated and all I could do was rest my forehead against his chest and circle my arms around his waist.

"I guess we really don't have a choice now," Carlisle's smooth voice sounded from his corner. He sighed, running a hand through his golden hair.

Nobody spoke. A soothing calm lay across the room but it didn't take away the blunt truth of what would happen.

"Dorian," Rosalie muttered under her breath. "What kind of name is _Dorian_, anyways?"

I heard the immediate loathing seep through her voice and almost smiled. Emmett suddenly perked up.

"Why don't we set them up for a trap?" he suggested, eyes shining. "We mask Bella's scent while she runs, then me, Jasper, and Edward can stay here and ambush them when they arrive."

Carlisle's lips quirked.

"A good idea in theory, but it'd never work," he shook his head. Emmett's mood darkened and he sat back down on the couch.

"Like I'd actually let you try something stupid like that," Rosalie whispered in Emmett's ear as he leaned back, loud enough for all of us to hear. He grunted and pulled her onto his lap.

"What about the Volturi?" Alice spoke up. We focused our attention on her.

"I thought it was agreed that anything related to the Volturi should stay in Volterra," Edward said, dryly.

"But didn't the Volturi want to put down the Aurelius clan for a while now?" she ignored him as she started pacing gracefully across the room.

"She may have a point," Carlisle sounded interested. Alice danced over to him, excited.

"They'll want to know about Felix and how he's left them."

"That they will."

She positively glowed at the idea. "So why don't we tell them? Shake things up a bit, cause a stir?"

"See…" I could tell by Carlisle's tone that he was about to point out some serious flaw. Alice's face fell. "You forget that the Volturi don't like to 'shake things up.' They might want to eliminate the Aurelius clan, but they'll hardly spare an arsenal to retrieve them. The best they'll do is send another guard."

"It's worth a try, isn't it?" she pressed. After a few seconds of deliberation, Carlisle nodded.

"Yes, it is. I'll try to contact Aro as soon as I can."

An idea crept into my mind, unbidden.

"What about the werewolves?"

Edward narrowed his eyes and held me out at arm's length, studying my face.

"What about them?" he frowned. I shrugged one shoulder.

"They can help, can't they?"

A storm swirled up in his darkening irises and I saw him start to shake his head.

"Come on," I prodded gently, looking directly in his eyes. I couldn't stand arguing with him anymore. He opened his mouth but no sound came out as his expression softened.

"Bella, I don't - "

"We need all the help we can get, don't we?"

He faltered at my words and the torture was visible in his features.

"It's a good idea, Edward," Jasper supported me, speaking up from the sidelines. Edward's gaze flickered in his direction before settling back on me.

"Our alliance with the Quileutes aren't strong at the moment," his velvet voice was thick and pleading. "What are you planning to do?"

He wouldn't like this idea.

"Call Jacob," I admitted. The door slid shut behind his eyes and he was suddenly unreadable.

"No," he growled. I tried to say more, but he backed away from my arms and stalked out of the room without another word.

"Oh, honey," Esme pushed away from Carlisle and moved to my side, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "He's just upset. He'll come around."

I stared wistfully at his vacated spot.

"He's always upset with me lately," I muttered, "One day he might forget to come around."

She laughed, a warm, melodious sound.

"Nonsense," she rubbed my upper arm. "He just worries about you. You're all that matters to him, you know?"

I nodded, mute.

"You were right," Carlisle smiled kindly, "Sam's pack might be our last resort."

Emmett snorted and I thought I heard something along the lines of "nothing but ugly, straggly, stray dogs" coming from his directions.

"Your link with that boy, Jacob, is probably the most solid connection we have with them," Carlisle continued, "You should call him as soon as possible."

A crashing sound sounded from somewhere in Edward's room upstairs. I cringed.

"Yeah," I murmured, looking up at the ceiling as another bang came from above. "I'll get to that."

………

I stood in the kitchen, twirling the wire connecting the phone to it's base in one finger as I dialed with another. As soon as I heard the ringing, I took in an unneeded breath and held it.

I was eager to hear Jacob's voice, but at the same time I dreaded it. The rift between us was stronger than ever and I vaguely wondered if it could ever be patched.

It rang three times before I heard a familiar voice pick up. I exhaled, relieved. It was Jacob.

"Hello?"

I bit my lip and forced myself to answer.

"It's me."

He paused and I heard a strange coughing sound coming from his side of the line.

"Bella," he said flatly. A statement, not a question.

"Yeah. I need to see you about something. Soon. Soon as in within the next few hours."

Another lengthy pause.

Finally, "Do you think this is really a good time?"

"It can't wait." When he didn't respond, I begged, "Jake, _please_."

"Bella, you're a - one of _them_. It's a bad idea."

"Is that all you see me as now? A vampire?"

"What else _is _there?" his voice came out strangled, pained, and I knew he wasn't lost.

"Everything," I pleaded, crossing my fingers. "There's you and me. We're best friends, remember?"

"I'm not the one who forgot."

I silently counted to ten, trying to keep my tone somewhat light.

"Hey, I'm not the one that has problems with our interracial friendship."

"That's not funny," he growled, but I detected a hint of a laugh and smiled to myself.

"Not even a little?"

For a long time, he didn't respond and I almost thought he hung up.

"Why do you need to see me?" he finally asked.

"There's this clan of vamp - "

"And you need our help?" he interrupted, referring to his pack. "That's it?"

Never. "I also want to see you for _you_," I said softly. "I don't want to lose you."

Five seconds passed before he said, "I'll meet you at the cliff in an hour," and hung up.

The second I put the phone in its cradle, I felt Edward's presence a few feet away. I'd been too preoccupied with my conversation to notice him before. For a moment, I wondered if I should turn around or wait for him to come to me.

The moment drew out with neither of us doing anything. Just as I was about to turn, he broke the silence.

"So, you're going to meet him," he said matter-of-factly.

"Yes."

I heard his soft growl at my answer and braced myself when he strode across the kitchen in my direction. But instead of grabbing me and spinning me around, he stopped when he was less than a foot behind me.

Familiar butterflies somersaulted in my stomach and I closed my eyes. After nearly two years of knowing him, he could still make my insides flutter. I could feel his silent, heavy breathing against my hair and I shivered.

Slowly, I turned around to face him.

"Bella," my name was a whisper on his lips as he touched his finger to my chin and tilted it up. "Your eyes are already dimming from the bright red," he commented softly, leaning closer.

"Really?" I could barely hear the word escape my own lips. The side of his mouth curled up ever so slightly and he slowly traced his finger along my jaw and down my neck, leaving a grail of goose bumps in its wake. My breath hitched.

Did I even need to breathe? I couldn't remember anymore. Not when his face was inches away from my own and his scent was overpowering any control I had over my senses.

"I was wrong earlier," I whispered before he could touch his lips to mine. He pulled back a centimeter, confusion swimming in his eyes.

"About what?"

"When I said you didn't dazzle me anymore," I smiled, biting my lower lip. "I lied."

"Mm," he murmured, gently nudging my nose with his. Pleasant tingles tickled down my neck. "It's not good to lie. It's a good thing that I can always detect a - "

"Edward?"

"Hm?"

"Shut up and kiss me," I ordered with a small grin. He chuckled, cupping my cheek with one cool hand and finally closing that distance between us.

My arms slid up his chest and linked around his neck, locking him in place.

"Bossy," he muttered against my lips before I tiptoed and kissed him quiet all over again. My body melted against his and for a few drawn out moments, I enjoyed the spine-numbing feeling of his lips moving against mine.

After I made sure I wasn't about to pass out anytime soon, I tugged him even closer and dared to venture out, swiping my tongue over his lower lip. He groaned and shifted back.

As kisses generally went, ours technically hadn't gone any further than they'd gone when I was still a human - with the exception of the kiss he'd given me before I was turned. The only difference was that he didn't pull back after a few seconds or stop because of a little added pressure now that he knew I wouldn't faint on him or he couldn't accidentally crush me anymore.

I wanted so much more but at the same time, I was - nervous.

"Let me try something," I whispered, stomping out any fear that lingered. I took his face in my hands and pressed my lips to his again, letting them linger in a light caress that sent me trembling to my toes.

Mustering up whatever courage I had, I lifted my chin up, angling my face to deepen the kiss. At first, he stiffened completely. His arms became rigid around my waist and it took everything I had not to jump back and apologize profusely. He eventually relaxed and pulled my hips closer to his until there was no space whatsoever between us.

I gasped, parting my lips and holding onto him tighter. I could feel his hesitancy but tentatively, he took advantage of my open invitation. A low moan escaped his mouth - or was it mine?

Suddenly, he jerked back, breathing heavily. His eyes were squeezed shut as he pressed his forehead to mine.

"What are you doing to me?" he mumbled, looking like he was in pain. "I thought I needed control when you were still human, but … "

"You don't really need control anymore, do you?" I teased him quietly, trailing my index finger across his defined cheekbone.

A playful growl sounded from deep within his chest, making me giggle.

"Oh, you don't understand," he playfully nipped my nose. "I need more control now than ever."

"I'm not so fragile anymore."

"It's not that," he said, kissing me again. He pulled back after a few seconds and smiled. "It's getting harder to remind myself that I'm supposed to be a gentleman."

Oh. I couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of my mouth. Sometimes I still couldn't believe that somebody like him wanted me. I searched his eyes, looking for a reason, but all I could see was my own reflection in his never-ending gaze.

"Don't go," he whispered quietly. He didn't say the name but I knew he was talking about Jacob.

"I have to," I sighed, breaking eye-contact. "We're meeting by the cliff. It's far enough from civilization so you don't have to worry about me going crazy."

"It's harder now," his voice caught my attention. My eyes swept over his pale, sculpted face, the perfect features that had me at hello stunning me all over again. They stared, transfixed, at his flawless lips as he spoke.

"The worst thing I had to protect you from before was me," he elaborated. "Everything else was second place. You're not the same easily broken girl anymore and it throws me. I still have this inexplicable need to keep you safe and before, all I had to do was haul you over my shoulders, drag you into a safe room, and lock the door."

I snorted, indignant, but he ignored me. "I can't do that anymore," he sounded regretful.

"Damn right you can't," I joked. He just buried his head at the junction where my neck met my shoulder and kept it there.

There was a sharp cough coming from the other end of the room. Edward didn't budge. I looked up to see Emmett standing next to the refrigerator holding a 'I Love My Doctor!' mug. He opened the fridge door and pulled out a gallon milk carton filled with something that was … most definitely _not _milk.

"You two are making me lose my appetite," he wrinkled his nose at the carton, shooting a glance our way.

"What _is_ that?" I scrutinized the thick liquid he was pouring into his mug. The familiar scent of blood wafted to my nose, tinged with something bitter. "Smells awful."

I felt Edward's chest vibrate against mine as he laughed.

"An experiment of Esme's," he explained. Emmett pinched his nose and sipped at the contents in his mug before scrunching up his face. Edward snickered at the disgust written all over his brother's features.

"Experiment?" I asked warily. Emmett coughed and wiped at his mouth with the back of his wrist.

"Yeah," he sighed, dumping his mug into the sink. "Esme's been reading this book written by some vampire about modern domestication for the not-quite-dead. Instead of going out and hunting whenever we're hungry, he suggested rounding up humans in groups and draining their blood into iceboxes then freezing the blood so whenever we get thirsty, we just reach into the refrigerator and voila: instant meal."

"Obviously, it doesn't work as well with cow's blood," Edward sneered, his eyes gleaming with humor.

"Or it doesn't work well at all," Emmett made a face. "There's something to be said about cold blood that's weeks old. It freezes going down and leaves a bad aftertaste."

"I wouldn't know," Edward shrugged, resting his chin on my head. "I was waiting for someone dumber to give it a test run."

Emmett growled and shook a fist in his direction.

I let out a short laugh and turned back to Edward.

"I'll leave you two to decide the pros and cons of - refrigerated blood," I quickly kissed his cheek and drew out of his arms. "I need to go now."

As I left, Edward made a motion as if to follow me. From the corner of my eye, I saw Emmett latch onto his arm and shake his head.

_Thank you, Emmett_, I thought to myself, slipping out through the back door.

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Over 5,000 words!

**Author's Note:** In my outline, ch. 14 was too short and ch. 15 was waay too long. I was planning to combine both of them together, but I realized that it worked much better if I cut chapter 15 in half and stuck the first part in as ch. 14 p.2.

So I hope this gives you an idea of what I mean when I say "explore Bella and Edward's relationship as vampires." They're both new to the game, so of course, nobody's going to be rushing into the sex, right? But they're both teenagers (kinda) and it's natural to want to … test the waters, you know? I know in _Twilight_ and _New Moon_ their relationship was always chaste, but it's obvious from the way Stephanie Meyer writes their emotions that they both _want_ more even though they don't really even make it halfway across first base.

Chapter 14 was one of my favorite chapters to write. It'll be even better when I actually get to write those characters.

The next chapter will have Jacob interaction and … we'll finally start discovering what Bella's ability is! Yay!

(Just so everyone can keep track)

**Dorian** - power of illusion. Just imagine that you're sitting at your computer, doing homework when, all of a sudden, you aren't sitting in your room anymore but in … a tropical rainforest. It can be a perfectly sunny day, then Dorian comes up to you and all of a sudden, there're rain clouds - not because it's actually raining, but because he makes you _think_ that its raining. Whether or not Bella is immune to his power is still unknown (to you guys.)

**Adrien **- power to block other people's abilities against himself and whomever he decides to "cloak." This is why Alice couldn't see their faces in her earlier vision and why Edward can't hear their thoughts. Bella isn't affected by his block - which is important to remember. Whatever her power is, she can still use it against him.

**Iris** - power to mind-freeze. Imagine somebody just _freezing_ your entire brain. It's fatal for a human because the brain is essential for vital organs to function. But, for a vampire, it just makes them stop all voluntary actions since they don't have any organs that they need to keep "alive." Bella's also immune to this - and it's essential to the story.

I tried to pick some unique powers but at the same time, their powers all fit in with the plot so I'm pretty happy with them.

Thanks for the reviews guys! They make me happy.


	15. Unrequited

**IMPORTANT NOTE!! **Voting at The Twilight Awards is now open! Check my profile for more details!!

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**Ch. 15: Unrequited**

I didn't take one of the cars lined next to the garage. All the roads led to houses which I wanted to avoid if at all possible, so I set off to the edge of the woods on foot.

There was nobody around, just miles and miles of lush, green woods. I could detect the faint scent of different animals scurrying within the forest and ignored the slight tingly reaction in my stomach. It wasn't very difficult since I fed less than a few hours ago.

Overhead, the sky was gray and in the distance, the sun was hiding behind a cloud, scattering light sporadically across the land. At first, I was careful. I didn't want to go faster than a human at a run because the ground wasn't smooth and I kept anticipating something that would jut out and trip me.

When nothing did, I dared to go faster. At one point, I wasn't even aware of speeding up until I saw the trees rush past me in a blur. It surprised me so much that I almost caught my foot in a root that popped out of the ground but at the last second, I leapt over it, landing gracefully several yards away and kept running.

_I'll never get used to this_, I grumbled to myself, slowing down slightly. My head spun and I took a deep breath, waiting for the motions sickness to take over, but it never did.

Before I knew it, I could hear the quiet sounds of water splashing against rock. The cliff was still at least a mile or so off, but the smells of the ocean breeze clung to my nose. At least I knew I was going in the right direction.

My nostrils flared and I paused, throwing my head back. A storm was coming - the sudden anticipation in the air was testament of that. I found a familiar trail and followed it, letting it take me to the very top of the cliff.

Before I could quite make it, a tree branch snapped and I whirled around.

Nothing. But whatever it was left it's thick, musty scent hanging in the suddenly torrid air.

An abrupt movement to the right sent me spinning again. My eyes narrowed when they fell on nothing but trees. My knees bent instinctively as I crouched down, every single sense on full alert.

There was a low snarl and when I realized it wasn't coming from me, I twisted my head to the side. There, blocking my only path away from the cliff, was a giant bear.

"Wonderful," I grumbled to myself, assessing my surroundings. I wasn't in any shape to take on a bear all by myself; at least, not just yet. There was nowhere to run except… over the edge of the cliff and into the angry waves below. I wasn't eager to experience that again. My eyes drew back to the bear. It was on all fours, pinning me with its dark, brown eyes.

At first, its gaze was curious. It took a step closer to me and I instantly stepped back. I didn't have it in me to be friendly to a bear. My sudden movement alarmed it and a ferocious roar filled the forest as its movements became less cautious and more predatory. It rose up on two hind legs, towering over me.

"Crap," I tensed, eyeing its gleaming, white teeth. "Where's Emmett when you need him?"

It's answer was to swipe at me with one of its clawed paws.

_Okay, so no conversing with the bear_, I sighed. As it advanced, the edge of the cliff was looking more and more appealing. And _that _was saying something because cliff-diving was something I didn't want to experience ever again.

It's jaws snapped angrily. Panicked, I did the first thing that came to my mind: try and placate it.

"Nice bear," I pleaded uselessly. "You don't want to hurt me, do you?" It growled, furious.

_Not the best idea_. My eyes flickered to the side. It was cornering me, making me back away. The only other choice was to lunge at it and attempt to fight, but - that idea terrified me.

The giant grizzly - I wasn't sure - salivated, roaring again at my indecision.

_Go away, go away,_ I repeated blindly in my head. My hands clenched at my side. Suddenly, an image of myself standing slightly crouched, edging towards the cliff's brim flashed through my mind. The bear stopped advancing and looked at me, uncertain. I blinked and shook my head, trying to get rid of the dizzying feeling.

_Go away,_ I begged silently, looking straight into the bear's piercing eyes.

The enraged snarling abated and he tripped over the next step, falling down on all four paws. I squinted, confused. What was happening? I narrowed my eyes and impulsively decided to try something completely ridiculous.

_Turn around._ I directed the thought at the bear as hard as I could, concentrating my gaze.

It looked over its shoulders as if something were calling to it. I kept urging it on in my head. _Go back. Leave. Turn around._

To my utter amazement, the bear took a step back and sniffed. It's lips lifted above its teeth and before it could snarl again, I chanted, _Turn around, Turn around, Go away, Go away_, loudly in my head.

After a moment's deliberation, it turned around and ambled back into the woods.

_Yes!_

My chest inflated, triumphant. Then, I realized what had just happened. I stared at the bear as it disappeared from sight, trying to dissect everything that took place. What had I done? While I had an idea, the more time passed, the less I was sure. Closing my eyes, I turned around and took a step closer to the edge of the cliff. The entire idea of what had to be _impossible_ pounded in my head, giving me a headache.

Was it my new ability? Exactly _what _was my ability? That I could … talk to bears? It couldn't be right.

Before I could thoroughly think it through, Jacob arrived.

I sensed his presence more than anything.

His bitter scent drifted to my nose before I heard the rustling in the bushes. It acted as an instant repellant and my first thought was to run away. Part of my mind was still shaken by my confrontation with the bear but another part had completely forgotten it in favor of Jacob. _Jacob._

He didn't make his presence known, though I already knew he was there. Without turning around, I could pinpoint the exact bush he was crouched behind, staring at me. I could feel his eyes burning into the back of my head.

My own eyes stayed glued to the angry splashing of the water below me. The sky was darker than usual and the clouds were angrily circling. I wondered how long he would keep up this charade. Then, I wondered how long I hoped he would keep up the charade because as much as I wanted to talk to him, I was at a complete loss for words.

The bush rustled again and I inhaled deeply, trying to let the salt from the ocean spray drift up and overtake my senses; or at least, mask the bitterness of his scent.

His scratchy voice interrupted my thoughts.

"You're looking good, Bella."

I didn't have to turn around to know he'd stood up from his hiding place.

At first, I couldn't answer. My mouth opened but my throat was too dry. I slowly turned to face him. I let my eyes trail over his scraggly form: his hair was longer, a knotty mess clinging to his shoulders, his tanned face was hardened, his clothes a little mangled, draping over a well-toned chest. I missed him so much.

The vampire inside me screamed; how could I feel this way for a werewolf? I squelched it down.

"I missed you," I blurted out. A small smile formed from his lips and his eyes softened.

"I just saw you a few hours ago," his voice was teasing, but his eyes were serious.

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah."

Then there was silence. I couldn't help but think of everything in our way. At one point, he'd been dearer to me than anyone. He'd been the one to save me, help me out of the shell I crawled into last year, been my beam of support.

I wanted to run and throw my arms around him, but propriety held me back. But then, since when did cool politeness ever step in the way of _us_. When did I start holding myself back around him?

My back straightened and I took a step back, preparing myself. He must've anticipated what I was about to do because he held up a hand.

"Bella," he choked out. I stopped myself. His arm dropped limply back to his side.

"It's not that I don't want you to," he explained, his smile widening a tiny bit. "Because I really do. You just smell _really_ bad."

My eyes widened resentfully.

"You dork," I bit out. A laugh bubbled up my throat and I leapt at him - despite _his _smell - and landed in his arms. He stumbled back a little, laughing with me.

"You've gotten heavy," he complained then wrinkled his nose. "And you still smell."

"Not as much as you," I retorted, making a show out of holding my nose.

"Better watch it," he warned, "Or I'll toss you over the edge. Show you what cliff-diving is _really_ about."

"You wouldn't."

His eyes gleamed mischievously.

"Oh, I _would_." He started stalking over to the cliff's edge with me in his arms.

"JACOB BLACK," I squealed as he swung me. My arms clutched his neck. "You put me down _right now_ or I'll kick your - "

He dropped me and I hit the ground with a loud _thud_. As soon as I made contact, I heard a suspicious cracking sound and squeezed my eyes shut.

Instead of the sore butt I was expecting, I found myself sitting in a slight indent. Wincing, I realized that the impact caused the ground to actually cave in. Jacob was rolling around on the floor, his body shaking with guffaws.

"It's not funny," I grumbled at him and stood up. Shaking my head, I inspected the damage. The hardened dirt on the ground had web-like cracks pinpointing the exact spot where my body hit the ground. How embarrassing.

"I _told _you. You got heavy!" Jake didn't bother concealing his mirth, pounding into the dirt with his closed fist.

"Better watch it," I mocked, "Or I'll sit on you."

"No!" He rolled to his feet as I stalked over to him. "Have mercy, Bells!"

He picked me up off the ground before I could say anything and heaved me over his shoulder. I squirmed and kicked my feet, catching him in the gut.

"Oomph." He fell, bringing me down with him. We tumbled and sprawled out across the ground. For a second, we stared at each other, a little surprsed, then burst out laughing. Our laughs and pants were too heavy for us to say anything.

"I miss this," he admitted after calming down. "Just relaxing with you. I feel like its been forever."

"It's not so bad now, is it?" I propped myself up on an elbow, taking in his face as he looked up at the grey sky.

"What do you mean?"

"You know," I paused, playing with a small pebble that fell loose from the dirt, "With me being … what I am."

He fell silent.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"No, it's not that," he sighed. After a few moments, he said, "I just forgot about… you know."

"Oh."

"Yeah, _Oh_," he mumbled. He turned to look at me, "It feels weird. Just a few minutes, I was making fun of the way you smelled and how you felt different… but I couldn't remember that you were a bloodsucker. Does that mean something?"

I knew what he was talking about and smiled. For a while there, I saw him as Jacob, not a werewolf.

"Maybe. Does it have to mean something?"

"No," he shook his head. "But you know, the others - they won't understand. They _don't_ understand. I almost had to sneak out today to meet you."

I opened my mouth, but the look he shot me told me he was nowhere near finished.

"Maybe," he took a deep breath and averted his gaze. "Maybe it's because I love you so much."

My breath caught. "Jake - " I croaked. He held up a hand to silence me.

"I know," he gave me a thin smile. "But - it doesn't matter. It doesn't even have to be _that _kind of love. It just _is_, you know? Because it's _you_ and that's enough for me. But I know that you only see me as a friend and … that's okay, too."

He took a deep breath and started again, "The part that scares me is that" - he swallowed - "if you ever gave me one hint, one sign that maybe - I'd still come running. Vampire or not, _I'd still come running_. That's saying something."

He reached out and pressed his warm palm against my skin. I had no tears and for once, I wished I did. Tears would have been streaming down my face. I covered his large hand with my smaller one and squeezed it gently. His eyes were wide, incredible, staring straight into mine as if he were amazed.

"I asked Sam about it," he said, bitterly, "He told me that I was chasing an empty dream. Even if you wanted me, it could never happen. He told me to forget about you."

My hand tightened over his.

"Why did you need to see me?" Jake changed the subject so abruptly, I almost jumped.

"What?" I wasn't fully comprehending. He tilted his head back up at the sky. I suddenly felt the wetness on my skin - I hadn't even realized that it was drizzling.

"When you called," he said in a tight, controlled voice. "You needed help from the pack about something. What was it?"

"Oh," I murmured. After a moment's contemplation, I told him about Felix. At the mention of Victoria, his head jerked up and he fixed me with an unreadable expression. The expression stayed on his face as I breezed over the details about the Aurelius clan.

"Jesus," he whistled when I was done. "You really aren't any safer now than before, are you?"

I stiffened.

"Sorry," he muttered. "It's just that - I can't stop wondering. Why did you do it? Do you hate me that much?"

"Oh, Jacob," I sighed, closing my eyes and feeling the cool drops of water land on my face. "I could never hate you and you know that. I was weak as a human. I never would've made it."

He raised himself up on his elbows and leaned over, hovering above me slightly.

"I could've protected you!" he cried out, shaking my shoulders. I opened my eyes and looked up into his face. Rainwater dripped down his forehead and off his prominent nose. His face was contorted in what could best be described as absolute pain. I saw heartbreak in his eyes and couldn't stand it.

I reached out and stroked my fingers over his brow. He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch. Sighing, I said, "You can't protect me forever, Jake."

"I would _try_," he swore vehemently. The rush of emotions was rising high, threatening to break the dam.

"You'd _never _be happy," I snapped, willing him to understand. He glared at me. Softening, I sat up slowly and leaned my forehead against his heated neck. "I could never give you what you want. I'd always hold you back."

"That wouldn't matter," he wrapped his arms around me until I was cocooned snugly against his chest. "I wouldn't care. You'd be enough for me."

It had never been like this before. This onslaught of emotion that took over as the rain pelted us over and over again. I felt the full weight of his unrequited love and silently wished that one day, he'd open his eyes and find a beautiful girl, waiting and open to love him as I couldn't.

"It wouldn't be enough for me," I whispered. It was cruel, but what else could I say? What was done was done and if I said anything else, he'd just be strung along as he was all last year. I didn't want that for him. I wanted him to be happy, I wanted us to remain close, but I didn't want his pain. He tensed up and I clung to him tighter, praying that he'd understand.

_Say you'll be okay_, I pleaded in my head over and over again. After what seemed like forever, he pulled back slightly and kissed my forehead.

"I'll be fine," he told me, his voice hoarse. Slowly, he stood, pulling me up with him. His eyes didn't meet mine as he said, "I'll talk to the pack about your problem. I'm sure we can help somehow."

"Jacob - "

"No. I'll be okay. Don't worry about me." He still wasn't meeting my eyes. "Just - take care of yourself. If that bastard ever hurts you, I'll kill him with my bare hands."

He looked up and held my gaze, leaving me with no question who he was talking about. Then he walked off without so much as a "goodbye."

* * *

**Author's Note:** There's a little taste at what Bella's power can do… there'll be a lot more of it in the next chapter, explanations, etc. I hope you liked the Jacob and Bella scene - I know I did. I just … really love Jacob's character. This story is strictly an Edward/Bella story, but wouldn't it be horribly romantic if anything ever happened between Bella and Jacob while she's a vampire? Very Romeo and Juliet. But it wont be happening in this story. Maybe... it'd be an idea for another one. The next chapter'll be coming shortly! Thanks again for all the reviews! 


	16. Silence

**Ch. 16: Silence  
**

The mood my talk with Jacob left me in was dark. For a good while, I stayed at the top of the cliff, fighting the urge to curl up into a ball and cry myself to life. I listened to the perilous crashing of the waves below me, the instantaneous crack and flash of lightning in the distance, the howling of the wind as it picked up speed, and just stood there.

I thought about a lot of things; Edward, Jacob, love, life. Then I thought of the Volturi, of Felix and Victoria, of the illicit romance between Adrien and Iris that started the Aurelius clan.

My mind floated in and out of reality as I lifted my face to the sky. What was happening? Where was the happiness I was expecting? For a few, brief seconds, I almost thought I could hear my heart beat. I blinked and realized it was the sharp, rapid intakes of breath my body was always used to. I didn't even realize I _was _breathing. Some habits were hard to break.

By the time I started my trek back to the Cullens', it had started to thunder. The ominous clouds had come together in a mass of blackness and a streak of lightning lit up the sky. With the drops of rain streaking down my face, I could pretend that I was crying. I could imagine that the rain was tears and for a moment, I felt almost human again.

I didn't realize that I'd been running until the house was suddenly in front of me and the driveway was under my feet. Blinking, I shook my hair out and walked through the back door.

Carlisle and Esme were huddled in the kitchen, talking quickly and quietly. Esme gave me a warm smile as I walked passed them.

When I walked into the Cullens' living room, I was greeted with the sight of five vampires wearing a wide array of unreadable expressions. From the looks on their faces, I realized that I was about to be the subject of a long discussion. My temper, which had been simmering the entire way back, suddenly flared.

A confrontation like this wasn't something I expected. My emotions were already in somersaults because of Jacob and the last thing I wanted to do was _talk_.

I was about to stalk out the room and make my way up the stairs for a change of clothes when I was finally able to decipher the unreadable expressions. Guilt. It took me all of five seconds to figure out what was going on.

My eyes zeroed in on Alice, who was the only one averting her gaze. She must have used her vision to foresee what Jacob and I would talk about. That was the only explanation for the present awkward silence.

"Did you enjoy that?" I asked, bitterly. "Did you give them a play-by-play analysis of what happened? Did you tell them about how the big, bad wolf broke down and the pitiful story of - "

My voice cracked and I stopped talking, forcing my eyes away. I was furious and couldn't explain why.

Edward pushed away from the wall and moved to gather me in his arms. I was tempted to rush into them, but I jerked away. It didn't matter how much I needed him to comfort me right then - it didn't feel right jumping from Jacob's embrace straight into Edward's.

His arms dropped.

"You didn't want any of us to accompany you," he reminded me quietly, evenly.

"For a good reason, too," My nails dug into my skin. "I needed my _privacy_."

Alice cringed.

"I needed to be sure you were safe," Edward defended. My face burned.

"I'm sorry, Bella!" Alice cried, pleading me with her eyes. "I didn't know _what _would happen."

I clenched my teeth, feeling betrayed. What had transpired between me and Jacob was supposed to stay between us and the idea that they _all _knew what happened didn't sit well with me.

"It's not such a big deal," Rosalie sounded bored. My head snapped, eyes narrowed as I waited for her to continue. She rolled her eyes. "He's just a werewolf for Christ's sakes. You're better off without him."

The tension in my jaw was so tight that my face throbbed.

"He isn't _just some werewolf_," I bit out. "He's my best friend."

She gave me a blank look then turned away. _This must be how Jacob felt_, I thought, remembering his words:

_"I asked Sam about it. __He told me that I was chasing an empty dream. Even if you wanted me, it could never happen. He told me to forget about you."_

Was this the same thing? I suddenly felt sick.

At that moment, Carlisle entered the room with Esme right behind him. His eyes swept the room quickly and with one raised brow, cut into our impending argument. I was glad for the change in subject.

"Alice described something … different," he said, tapping his fingers on his leg. "Something that had to do with a bear."

Alice looked at me, uncertain. I chewed on my bottom lip, remembering the incident.

"It looked like one minute, he was advancing and then he just turned around," she elaborated. I nodded, realizing how that would've looked to someone who _wasn't _me.

"It was … I think it, uh," I swallowed, choosing my next words carefully. "I think I found my power."

Carlisle's eyebrows shot up and a small smile began tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Tell us more," he urged.

I recalled the incident, stressing the part when I concentrated on the thought _'turn around.'_ Every so often, I would glance up at Edward's face and his eyes would be clouded, shielded from me. When he noticed me looking, he would send me a reassuring smile but his eyes would remain closed off.

"And he just walked off," I finished lamely. The entire family was quiet, contemplating what I'd just told them.

"That sounds like mind control to me. Nothing special," Rosalie put in her two cents, sounding bored. I didn't miss the way she pointedly refused to look at me and wondered what I'd said.

"Don't be bitter," Alice shot her a scathing glance.

"Who says I'm bitter?" she glared, lifting a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Your aura," Jasper inserted, cutting whatever sarcastic remark Alice was prepared to shoot out.

Alice rolled her eyes. "That and the way you're gnawing at your lower lip. The last time you did that was when Tanya found it in good taste to flirt with Emmett. You can't seriously be jealous of Bella's power, can you?"

"Please," Rosalie said stiffly. "Why would I bother being jealous of anybody's power? I stand by what I've said before: they're nothing but a hassle."

As the verbal war continued, the hostility lessened to friendly bickering. I turned my attention away from them and focused on Carlisle who was staring at nothing in particular.

Finally, he looked up. "Mind control," he murmured. "Perhaps we can test this theory?"

The bickering stopped.

"Test?" I asked, tentatively. "I'm still - I'm still not sure how this works. With the bear, I was … really, _really_ scared and it just happened. I'm not sure if it'll work right now."

He shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt to try it."

I nodded and a tiny smile slipped out. "So who's wants to be my lucky guinea vamp?" I looked around the room.

Nobody volunteered.

After a few seconds of silence, I gave Carlisle a hopeless look. Suddenly, Emmett stood up.

"I'll do it," he grinned. "Do your worst."

Rosalie immediately looked alarmed. "_Worst_?" she hissed, tugging at his hand.

"Just an expression, love," he gently squeezed her hand before letting it go. His attention reverted back to me.

I stared, a little bit uncertain.

"Gimme whatchya got," Emmett teased, playfully crouching down in a wrestling stance and beckoning me with both hands.

"You're sure?"

"No, he's not," Rosalie interjected and gave me a wan smile. "Make him do something completely absurd. That'll teach him to volunteer himself for experimentation."

Emmett shrugged. "I don't mind being a lab rat," he reassured.

I looked at Carlisle, who gave me the go-ahead, then at Edward. His expression was still painfully closed off and I sighed, realizing that we would have to have a serious discussion latter.

Propelling that less-than-appealing thought from my mind, I took a deep breath and concentrated on something.

_Pirouette. Do a pirouette._

He was still standing there with a goofy, expectant expression on his face. I tried it again but nothing happened. Maybe it was time for a different approach.

_You _want _to do a pirouette. Do it now._

Still, there was nothing.

_Spin around the room_.

Nothing.

_Pick your nose._

Nada.

I looked helplessly towards Carlisle. He looked at me questioningly.

"It didn't work?" he asked. I shook my head.

Edward chose that second to speak up. "Did you - " he started, sounding uncertain. "Did you ask him to do a _pirouette_?"

My eyes widened. "Yeah!" I nodded enthusiastically, not thoroughly comprehending what he meant. "How did you know? I thought you couldn't read my mind."

His lip curved up.

"I can't," he admitted. "But I was reading _Emmett's_ mind. At first, he was thinking some thoughts about Rosalie that I refuse to repeat…" - Emmett cleared his throat and glared as Rosalie muttered a "Thank God for that." Edward ignored them - "But suddenly there was this intrusive, demanding thought '_Pirouette. Do a pirouette._' I wasn't sure. It was his voice - if you can call it that - but it seemed so spontaneous that it didn't seem natural.

"Plus," he added, smirking. "Unless there's something Emmett's not telling us, I doubt he would ever voluntarily _want _to do a pirouette."

"You'd be amazed," Rosalie giggled, sending Emmett a suggestive look. If he could, he would've turned pink. As it was - the tip of his ears were a bit flushed. Edward looked horrified.

"Please don't _ever _think something like that _ever again_," he shuddered. "I told you a million times. I don't _want _to know what you and Emmett do in the privacy of your own bedroom."

Alice perked up. "What were they doing?"

"Some sex game," Edward told her, ignoring Rosalie's protests. "Emmett was dressed up like a ballerina and doing interesting bedroom gymn-"

"_Shut up_, man," Emmett growled. Edward snickered. "That's _not _cool."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Edward's eyes danced mischievously. "From Rosalie's point of view, you're-"

"Stop!" she squealed, covering her face. He chuckled.

"Back to Bella's ability," Carlisle interrupted, sounding exasperated. I bit back a laugh. "If Edward heard the thought that Bella sent to Emmett, how come we didn't see Emmett doing … uh, pir -"

"Pirouettes," I reminded him. We all turned to Emmett who lifted both hands up.

"Fine," he sighed. "I _did _suddenly get this strange impulse to do a pirouette. But I couldn't remember what a pirouette was so I didn't do it."

"Oh," I muttered. "That makes some sense. But then why - "

"I also got strange impulses to spin around the room and pick my nose," he looked at me suspiciously. I held back my grin. "But before I could carry those impulses out, I realized how stupid it was and decided against it. I didn't realize they were coming from _you _though."

"Sorry," I said sheepishly.

"I think I know what's going on," Carlisle looked thoughtful. We all looked at him, expectantly. "I think Bella - as of right now - can only send us thoughts and ideas. The thoughts she sends are just suggestions. How many times have you had a thought that you instantly discarded because it seemed so outrageous? Those are the types of thoughts she sends."

My shoulders slumped. Carlisle had a triumphant look on his face as if he had just solved life's greatest mystery but I was a bit put down. What good was my ability if people could instantly discard the thoughts I sent?

"Then why did the bear just walk away?" I demanded to know, still not willing to believe that my so-called power was so pathetic.

Carlisle smiled. "Animals, in general, are instinctive. They don't really think to second-guess whatever their impulses are. They think something and they do it. That explains why the bear just walked away. He probably wasn't all that interested to begin with and when the idea that he could just turn around popped up, he didn't see any reason not to so he just did."

Oh. Oh well. I sighed. Then I remembered something else.

"What about with Jacob?" I asked, getting excited. Edward - who had slowly been making his way to my side - suddenly stopped a few feet away and stiffened. The tension in the air rose again with the mention of his name and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"What about him?" Carlisle asked.

"Right before he walked away from me. He was hugging me and - "

"He _what_?" Edward growled menacingly. Suddenly, he turned on Alice. "Was _that _the vision you zipped through and refused to let me see?"

She shrugged.

"Get over it, Edward," I muttered, keeping my anger in check. A small part of me understood; he disliked Jake and felt threatened by my relationship with him. But a stronger, more insistent part was annoyed. Could he seriously be angry because Jake, my best friend, _hugged _me? Did he remember who I gave everything up for? Did he even remember who I chose to be with? I suppressed a furious growl.

Oh yes, we were definitely having a long conversation later. He glared and kept silent as I continued with my explanation about the Jacob-incident.

"As I was _saying_, before he walked away, I sent him a thought to say that he was okay. I didn't even realize what I was doing until he actually pulled away and told me he was okay."

"Maybe he _was _okay," Jasper suggested.

"He wasn't," Alice answered for me. I looked at her in surprised and she shot me a weak smile. "I saw that moment in my vision. Granted, it was just a split second but it was enough for me to see his face. That boy was _not _okay."

"He might've been contemplating just saying it and when you sent him the thought, it was just a small push in the direction," Carlisle said. "Or maybe you wanted to think he was okay so badly that the thought overwhelmed him."

The logic behind his words was astounding and I slouched my shoulders. The disappointment mixed in with the night's overload of drama - hell, the entire month's overload of drama - was a bit too much and I was suddenly tired of it all.

"It's not a bad gift, Bella," Jasper seemed surprised by the slightly depressed mood I was in. I shrugged.

"Maybe not. But what good is it if anybody can just use their _judgment_ and … squelch it?"

Alice glanced up. "That just means it's underdeveloped," she explained. "The flashes I got at first used to be so brief I could barely make out where my vision was or who was in it."

I was not convinced but I just smiled and sighed inwardly. Out of habit, my eyes slid over to where Edward was standing, several feet away from me. His stance was rigid and all expression was wiped from his face. I sighed again, wondering what I would say when I talked to him alone.

Carlisle was discussing something with Alice and just as I was about to start paying attention, Edward's eyes flickered up and locked with mine.

God, how did he _do _that? The second our eyes met, I could feel the electricity pulsating between us, palpable as ever. It was tinged with something I didn't want to think about - something dark, cloudy, maybe a little sad, but it was still there.

I lifted my chin slightly, wanting him to get closer. I needed to be in his arms and suddenly, the several feet separating us seemed like several miles. Several _hundreds _of miles. His jaw tightened visibly and it felt like a slap in the face.

What was so different now than what had been before? Neither of us ever said the words out loud, but it was still there, loud and clear. There was something between us. A wall, a rift, an entire ocean. It had been there since the moment I woke up as a vampire and as every hour had passed, I felt it grow wider and wider. Even when he kissed me, it was there. When he was holding my hand, it was there. When we talked, it was there, this annoying _tension_ that refused to dissipate.

It felt like hours with him standing there and me standing here, simply standing and staring.

I took in his tousled, bronze hair, glittering under the ceiling light, the paleness of his flawless skin, the perfect angles of his face, the straight nose, unsmiling mouth and sighed, defeated. In less than a step, I was by his side.

Looking up from under my lashes, I muttered, "We need to talk."

"Do we?" his question was a faint murmur, almost lost amongst the heated discussion between Emmett and Jasper about battle plans. His head bent an inch closer to mine but his body was carefully angled as to maintain a distance between us. He tilted his head, "What about?"

The way he worded the question told me he knew _exactly _what but wanted me to answer, regardless. I opened my mouth but suddenly closed it on the torrent of words about to flood out. _What about?_

Did I want to talk to him about Jacob? Or was it the fact that the only conversations we've had lately have been arguments? Or maybe I wanted to tell him exactly what I thought about his over-protectiveness.

Instead, I answered him with one word.

"Us."

Something jumped in his eyes and for a split second, they were completely vulnerable. Then the shutters closed again.

"So talk," he instructed, icing his voice over.

"What do you want from me?" I asked softly. Fires sparked in those beautiful irises.

"I believe that's _my _line," he said stiffly. "I'm doing everything I can for you and it all seems inadequate. All you do is shove me away."

My teeth clashed in frustration.

"I want you to _trust _me," I hissed, tilting my head up slightly to look at him directly. "Ever since I've become a vampire, you're suddenly _different_. You didn't even want to change me in the first place!"

"Don't put this on my shoulders, Bella," he growled. "I didn't want you to become like me because I loved you. I didn't want you to have to go through the pain, the - "

A sudden crash interrupted him and suddenly, all the talking ceased and everybody was staring at the front door. Emmett, Jasper, and Edward instinctively placed themselves in front of the rest of us protectively, knees slightly bent and hands clenched in a wary attack stance.

Nobody asked "what was that?" because it wasn't necessary. From the look on Carlisle's face, I was able to figure out what was going on.

There was a slow crescendo of thunder and as it reached ear-shattering volumes, a vicious crack of lightning lit up the entire sky. It was then when I realized that we were no longer in the Cullens' living room.

We were suddenly standing in the middle of a meadow with dense forest surrounding us. Raindrops the size of quarters pelted down and in the distance, a tree burst into flames.

And the only thing I could think about before the panic set in was the way Edward had said he _loved_ me. _Loved_. Not _love_.

* * *

**Author's Note:** And before everybody freaks out - _no_, of course Edward still loves her. They're going through a elongated fight and I promise, there will be a _very _satisfying chapter coming soon where they _don't _get interrupted. And no, Bella _isn't _immune to Dorian.

I realize that Stephanie Meyer said that Bella was immune to anything that involved the mind so in all actuality, Bella _should _be immune to Dorian's power. The thing is - Bella's not immune to Jacob's power and no matter how many times Ms. Meyer tries to push it (no offense), emotions are a psychological state and _do _come from the mind.

Emotion - A **mental** state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by physiological changes; a feeling: _the emotions of joy, sorrow, reverence, hate, and love._

Some may argue that she meant the thinking mind - the conscious mind. It's all a little complicated and I don't really care to get all into it. I'll just leave as this: Dorian's power is strong and vampire ability/immunity/etc is not an exact science.

Things to look forward to: Dorian and Co.!! And a certain "succubus" that will be making an appearance. I'm sure all of you are going to want to kill me for her at first as she _does _affect Bella and Edward's love life but she's necessary for the big picture. And I decided that I _will _include the rated-M scene later. It'll be tastefully done so nobody'll be offended.

Aaaand… I got a full-ride scholarship to Baylor University!! It's not really where I want to go, but it's nice to know that I have a safety school. The Ivy League decisions come out this Thursday. Wish me luck!!


	17. Ultimatums

**Ch. 17: Ultimatums**

Grey clouds swirled into an ominous black as the wind whistled, spreading the scorching fire as rain turned into hail. An electrifying streak of light tore across the sky, illuminating the barren land and rapidly decaying forest surrounding us. Everything flickered black, blue, orange, and red.

"Dorian."

Carlisle's voice was a terrible whisper and the hoarse sound echoed over and over again. _Dorian, Dorian, Dorian, Dorian._

The eight of us stood together in rigid alert, each of us facing a different direction. My hair whipped across my face and fanned out in a heavy gust of wind. The thin, black shirt I was wearing was already soaked and plastered against my skin.

There was an explosion and another pit of fire formed several yards away from us.

A voice fluttered by my ear. "_It's not real."_

From the corner of my eye, I saw Rosalie next to me. The sinews of her neck were pulled taught and the dangerous look on her face was marred by fear. Her hair was blowing in the wind, too, stringy and clinging everywhere. She caught me looking and shot her hand out to grasp mine.

Her bone-crushingly strong grip was reassuring and I squeezed her hand just as tightly.

Another flash of lightening shot from a dark cloud and hit a tall tree. The gunshot noise of bark cracking as the tree tumbled to the floor filled the air, accompanied with the sudden flare of fire that shot up from its leaves.

From somewhere off to the side, I heard Carlisle. His voice was loud and demanding; something I'd never heard from him before.

"Dorian!" he thundered. I twisted my head and saw Carlisle's head pointed to the sky as he shouted. His blonde hair was soaked across his forehead and for a brief moment, I wondered if I'd ever seen him in a movie before. He was beautiful in his evident anger.

A gust of wind knocked down several more trees in response to his cry. There was a soft cackle that permeated the storm in surround sound; it came from everywhere and nowhere.

My teeth clenched and I felt a shiver roll down my spine.

Carlisle's lips rolled up and he let out the most powerful growl I've ever heard in my life. The sound of it overtook the wind's howling and the storm's incessant pounding.

A whispered voice answered him this time: "Not quite the reception I was expecting from you, _Carl_."

It was a lovely, silky voice with traces of a British accent hidden within its depths. It was a terrifying, saccharine voice that carried the undertones of a threat. It made my teeth freeze over.

"Show yourself, Dorian," Carlisle demanded. The satin voice chuckled.

"As you wish," it agreed.

Then there was blackness.

Pitch black.

There were rapid, sharp intakes of breath.

A candle in the distance flickered on for an instant then blew out again, leaving us in darkness.

"Edward?" I whispered and heard my voice echo in the abyss. I reached out blindly in his direction.

Rosalie's fingers tightened their hold on my opposite hand.

"Edward?"

There was a shuffling sound, then a familiar cold hand caught hold of my arm.

"I'm here."

His voice was hushed and I could see faint traces of white mist flutter from his mouth as he whispered.

"Oh, thank god," I gasped silently, clutching to him desperately. "What's happening?"

"Dorian's playing games," was the soft-spoken response. I heard Carlisle clear his throat impatiently somewhere a few yards away from where I stood.

"I don't have time for this, Dorian," he spoke evenly with forced calmness. "We need to talk."

When the voice laughed, I nearly jumped. Whoever it was sounded like he was right behind me. Goosebumps rose from the back of my neck.

"So talk," the voice said cheerfully. "I'm all ears."

"I'd prefer to talk to a face."

Another laugh.

"As you wish."

There was a simmering noise and very faintly, I saw the outline of a translucent head start to solidify as the total darkness lifted into slight shadows here and there.

The hair was dark - a jet black - and set in short spikes pointing all directions. It was offset by the paper-whiteness of his flawless skin; skin that shimmered at first before settling to an opaque white. His forehead was defined, his eyes a piercing red, and his cheekbones so angular they created dark hollows in his cheeks. His lips were curved up into a sardonic smirk that seemed so familiar to him that I suspected it was an expression he wore quite often.

There was no doubt that he was one of the most attractive men I've ever come across. The most attractive _vampire_ I've ever come across.

And that was saying something.

"Is this more to your liking?" he asked pleasantly, his glowing head floating closer to Carlisle, casting a warm, hazy light over his features.

Carlisle didn't answer and in the dim sparkle, I could see that his mouth was set in a straight line.

"Ah," Dorian's smirk grew. "You want all of me, correct?"

"Not so much you as I want to see the others you are _with_," Carlisle responded.

"You ask so much of me, mate," Dorian purred, oozing charm as the rest of his body started to appear. "But since I'm feeling generous today - "

Behind him, four other bodies popped up. I recognized Felix and Victoria instantly. They were standing slightly behind two unfamiliar vampires and the second my eyes slid to Victoria's face, she turned and locked her glare on me.

"More to your liking?" Dorian asked, his white teeth glittering.

Carlisle nodded as Victoria snarled and leapt towards me. Felix grabbed her and held her back, whispering something incomprehensible into her ear.

The other two vampires - a male and a female - looked at her reaction with something close to disdain. The male had chocolate brown hair that he wore tied in a loose ponytail near his neck and a prominent brow that hovered over inset eyes. His nose was straight and his mouth was unsmiling. All emotions were wiped from his face entirely.

The female, on the other hand, had golden-blonde hair that cascaded to her waist in a waterfall of waves. Everything about her spoke class, including the condescending sneer spread across her features.

Adrien and Iris, I noted to myself.

Dorian, the best-looking and no-doubtedly their leader, surveyed all eight of us slowly. There was a lazy smile curled on his lips and by the way he leaned back in his heels, I got the distinct feeling that he was enjoying himself immensely.

"So tell me, love," he spoke smoothly, eyeing Rosalie up and down. Her hand grasped mine tighter still, threatening to pop my knuckles, as a low growl rumbled from Emmett's throat. His smile widened. "Can I call you 'love'?"

"No," Emmett snarled in response. Dorian laughed and gave him a dismissive glance, not caring that Emmett towered over him.

"So, _love_, tell me. Why do you live the way you do?"

Rosalie didn't answer him at first and he took a little step closer to her.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice shaking. I bit my tongue, hating how Dorian could make such a strong person like Rosalie shiver in her boots.

He laughed. "I mean," he paused, sweeping his eyes over her figure again, "Why such a beautiful girl such as yourself would choose to live off… dirty _animals_. Tell me, pet, because I've tried so hard to understand and I just _don't know_!"

His voice was light and lilting, his smooth accent more audible.

"Because it's _wrong_ to hurt innocent humans," she hissed, straightening her back.

"Oh, I agree with you absolutely," he nodded, eyes twinkling. "That's why I only eat murderers and thieves, myself."

Carlisle cut in. "It isn't our place to hurt humans. _Any _humans. Even if somebody breaks the law, that's why we have the American justice system."

"Oh, it's a bloody shit system is what it is," Dorian said conversationally, rocking from his heels to the balls of his feet and back. "I take it upon myself to … _help_ them out a bit. I see it as my civic duty to the government and the world."

"That isn't right," Carlisle shook his head.

"And why the hell not?"

"Humans should not get hurt because of us. It's wrong and you know that."

Dorian shrugged. "Maybe so, but I never understood why. They're not better than us, they're just weaker. Fact is, most of them _deserve_ to get eaten. The lot of them are nothing but a waste of space."

"That doesn't make it right."

"Should I care?" Dorian raised both eyebrows. "I lost my sense of right and wrong a good while ago, mate. It's high time you get off that high horse of yours and embrace who you are."

"I'll never be a murderer," Carlisle shot back, growling slightly.

Dorian paused, cocking his head to the side. "Let me tell you what I know about humans," he smirked. "They're a bunch of backstabbing, lying, thieving bitches, and that's not even the all of it. The way I see it, the less of 'em, the better off the sodding world is."

There was a frustrated sigh coming from Victoria as Carlisle opened his mouth to respond.

"Can we get _on _with it?" she snapped impatiently. Iris spun around and hissed at the red-headed vampire, baring her teeth. Victoria reluctantly backed down.

Carlisle laughed humorlessly. "You're wrong," he told Dorian as he chuckled. "You're so wrong."

"Am I?" Dorian shrugged, cool as ice. "Maybe. Maybe not. I stopped caring about all that rot by the time the bloody depression rolled about. Right, wrong, its all the same in the end, yeah? The weaker ones will end up six feet under and the stronger ones will prevail. Its the way of the world, really. Who am I to challenge that?"

He straightened and grinned widely. "But enough of that sentimental bullshit. Lets stop dilly-dallying and cut to the chase, shall we?"

Carlisle lifted his head slightly but didn't say anything.

"Look, you people seem like a decent lot," Dorian said, glancing at the rest of us. "So I'll strike you a deal. Stay out of our way and we'll let you live."

Edward, Jasper, and Emmett snarled in response as Carlisle calmly answered, "That sounds tempting but unfortunately, its out of the question."

A shrill voice joined in with a resounding: "We will _not _let them live, Dorian!"

Dorian whipped his head around to send a ferocious roar in Victoria's direction as she leapt up furiously.

"Iris," he snapped.

Iris, who was looking quite bored up until that point, lifted her head and a slow smirk slid across her face. Just as Victoria was about to make her way to Dorian, Iris threw the most brutal and inhuman glare at her.

Victoria froze. Literally.

I gasped, surprised at the stony expression on her face.

"Hey, there's no need for - " Felix's protests died frozen on his lips as Iris glared at him, too.

"That was fun," Iris giggled happily at her handiwork before smiling at Dorian. "Carry on."

"Thanks, love. You're a doll," he blew her a kiss. A faint frown appeared on Adrien's mouth, but he did nothing to claim his rightful place next to Iris.

Dorian turned back to Carlisle. "Now, what did you say about my proposal?"

"You heard me," Carlisle returned steadily. "It's out of the question."

"Ah, that's what I thought you said," Dorian nodded. He lifted a hand and from the far distance, a small flash of lightening danced down from the sky. "And why is that? You have nothing to do with the people of this town."

"Quite the contrary," Carlisle said. "We have everything to do with the people of this town."

"Is that so?"

"It is."

Dorian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "And here I was, thinking you only had to do with _one _particular person in this town." There was a slight pause before he continued. "But I suppose that person is not quite _human_ anymore, is she?"

"What do you want with Bella," Edward growled from beside me. I tugged on his arm, trying to pull him back as he pushed his way to Carlisle's side. He shook me free and settled himself in front of me.

"Ah, Bella," Dorian's eyes lit up. "_That _was the name. I kept forgetting. Now, where is this Bella that Vicky here can't shut up about?"

He turned slightly to regard the frozen Victoria standing a yard or so behind him. She kept staring that stony stare of hers and he chuckled.

Edward tensed up as Dorian skillfully sidestepped him and came to a stop right next to me.

His blood-red eyes glued to mine and I felt my lungs collapse on me. The force of his gaze was strong and I nearly fell over by the intensity of it.

"I - " I swallowed and closed my eyes. "I'm Bella."

There was a long pause and I could feel his eyes raking down my form even with my eyelids blocking my vision.

"I see," he murmured quietly. My eyes fluttered open as his eyes were making their downward travel, lingering at a few choice body parts. "Pretty little creature, too."

Edward's growl grew to epic proportions and Dorian just laughed.

"Down boy," he said, rolling his eyes in Edward's direction. "I'm not interested. I tend to go for … tall blonds." He cast a hungry look at Rosalie and it was Emmett's turn to growl.

"My, my," Dorian laughed dryly. "Do I sense hostility?"

"Get the hell out of our town," Emmett snarled, pushing Rosalie behind him. Her hand fell from my grasp. "Or we'll _make_ you get out."

Dorian kept laughing. "Tough talk, mate. Pity I can have you incapacitated in a second flat. You people are _such _fun to talk to. I would hate to have you all dead."

Edward stared at him.

"You're bluffing," he said flatly.

"Are you sure of that?" Dorian raised a skeptical eyebrow. A condescending smirk appeared on Edward's lips.

"Yes, actually," he shrugged. "Your exact thoughts were '_not sure how exactly I would kill them, but they don't have to know that, do they?_'"

Dorian seemed at a loss for words and for a second, my heart flared for Edward, triumphant.

Before I could smile, Dorian whistled.

"Impressive," he clapped. Edward's smirk faltered slightly and I recognized the dawning apprehension on his face before Dorian spoke his next words. "But how's this? We freeze your ass before you take a fucking step. Am I bluffing now, _Eddie_?"

Iris stepped forward with an excited look on her face, but Dorian stopped her with a lift of the hand.

Edward didn't say anything.

For a drawn out moment, there was complete silence from both parties. I took that time to look at Victoria. Her eyes seemed to be fixed on me and Dorian at the same time, but everything about her was stiff. Unmoving.

I shuddered. She resembled a statue - beautiful, stately, angry in all her glory.

It was haunting, the way her glazed-over eyes could contain so much hate.

_Snap out of it_, I thought absently as I turned back to Dorian, who had started talking again.

"Tell you what. You seem like good people. I like you all, I really do. So I'm willing to give you a few … well, _options_."

Carlisle seemed skeptical. "Go on."

"Option A: you give me the girl and we'll leave peacefully," he proposed, smiling winningly at all of us. "It makes no difference to me. There are plenty of other towns to terrorize besides good old Forks."

"No," Edward hissed.

"Option B: refuse to give us Bella and we'll paint this town red," Dorian shrugged nonchalantly. "And we'll get the girl anyway."

Edward was silent. I reached out to place my hand on his back and realized his entire body was shaking. My fingers clutched to the back of his shirt and I moved closer to him.

Dorian wasn't done. "And of course, there's a Option C. You see, me, Adrien, and Iris love a good game. We'll challenge you to a duel. Even teams, even people. You win, we leave. We win, well…"

His voice trailed off.

Felix and Victoria - who had somehow fallen out of their trance and were huddled next to each other - looked upset.

Edward opened his mouth, but Alice beat him to it.

"How about choice D," she said perkily, smiling from ear to ear. Her eyes, on the other hand, were dark and narrowed. "None of the above?"

Dorian took a moment to look her over and shook his head.

"Why don't you sleep on it, yeah?" he suggested. "We'll come back next week. Same place, same time."

Before any of us could get another word in, he snapped his fingers and suddenly, the entire world disappeared and we were back in the living room.

Things had somehow gotten so much worse.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yay! So now you've met Dorian and the gang. I really, really like Dorian. You guys probably don't and that's understandable, but still. I love my Dorian! 

And now... I've got some good news and some bad news.

Good news: I got accepted to Columbia University! My first choice! (screams, yells, dances, etc) I'm so happy!

Bad news: The financial aid package I received was close to nothing and Columbia doesn't offer much merit-based scholarships, so right now, I'm going to be incredibly busy with applying to as many outside scholarships as I can find. And … that means that I'll have even less time to write. I understand that people really want to see this story finished - believe me, I do, too - but I ask that everyone understand that my real life comes before my writing.

I've received great reviews from everybody and I'm incredibly grateful. Reviews are very addictive and many times extremely helpful. But at the same time, I've received reviews that really pressure me. Now, I really don't mind the "Update soon!" or "UPDATE! I wanna see what happens next!" reviews because its all in good fun and sometimes, the little push helps me move along. But then, I get reviews and messages bordering on insulting, i.e. "No offense, but you type way too slow" or "all of your readers are counting on you and you're letting us down when you don't update quick enough!"

I really don't take these seriously, but here's a general answer to all of those reviewers: I have a life. A real, bona fide life that can at one moment be amazing and at another moment throw curveballs at me. I have to worry about graduation, getting money for school, maintaining my grades - and personally, my _life _comes before my fanfiction.

That's all.

Hopefully, the next chapter'll be up… within a month. I'm sorry, but that's all I'm promising.

And thanks for the great reviews and I hope you guys keep reviewing!

And yay! I got into Columbia!! (I still check my acceptance letter every so often to make sure it still says "congratulations" and I didn't just dream it up. Haha)


	18. Progression

**Ch. 18: Progression**

"We duel," Emmett's loud voice broke the wall of silence separating all of us. That was the general consensus among the male half of the family, but at the same time:

"There's no way you're - "

"Absolutely not, you crazy idiots - "

"Don't be stupid - "

Rosalie and Alice spoke at the same time I did and none of us stopped, making our interwoven protests a giant proclamation of "No!"

" - completely daft if you think we'll let you - "

" - never heard such an absurd idea in my _life - _"

" - do you have any clue what you're getting yourself - "

Emmett looked at all three of us, exasperated. We paused and gave him a simultaneous glare.

I nearly laughed at the picture we made. Not five minutes ago, we had been facing hell on earth with one of the most powerful vampires around. Now, we were arguing in true Cullen-esque fashion.

"It's the only logical way!" Emmett complained, "We'll win and they'll leave! How can you not see the logic in that?"

Rosalie glared at him. "And who says you'll win? Did you just _miss_ that entire ordeal? Did you _sleep _through it, you stupid log? Their powers are absolutely insane!"

His mouth opened to object but no immediate sound came out. Finally, he swallowed and said, "We'll win."

The certainty in his voice was infinitely diminished. Disbelief was etched across Rosalie's face as she regarded him. Emmett crossed his arms over his chest and glared, moodily.

"Then what do you suggest?" he asked her. Rosalie narrowed her eyes, then turned away pointedly. Emmett rolled his eyes and muttered, "That's what I thought."

"Look, arguing isn't going to get us anywhere," Jasper quickly thrust himself into the conversation. "Dorian gave us three options and only one of those options include - "

"Who says we need to follow his options?" Alice interrupted. "Just because he gave us a to-do list doesn't mean we have to actuallylisten."

"Yes, we do," Carlisle shook his head. "If we don't, he will ruin this town."

"We can tell everybody to leave and - "

"What? You think we can just evacuate people? Just like that?" Emmett turned his gaze to Alice. "Look, this isn't a hard decision. Hell, it isn't _even _a decision. It's what's going to happen whether you like it or not."

Alice gazed at him fiercely and opened her mouth. Her words were at the tip of her tongue before she clenched her jaw and swallowed them down.

I tasted it. The syllables, the sentiment. _Then we'll just leave_, she was about to say. I knew it because it was what I was about to say. _We'll just leave and forget about the people. Let them have Forks. Better them than us._

The shame immediately followed the thought.

We were all silent and I realized it wasn't just me and it wasn't just Alice. It was everybody. I looked toward Carlisle and saw the familiar guilty expression spread across his face.

Shame on us.

Edward was looking from Rosalie to Emmett to Alice to Jasper, one by one, taking in our morbid, terrible thoughts. But his expression didn't change. He didn't reprimand. He was thinking it, too.

"We're monsters," he murmured, breaking the silent spell.

"Don't say that," Rosalie looked up sharply, her voice hard as rock. He gave her a dubious look.

"We are. Who else would sacrifice an entire town full of innocents to save their own hide?"

Jasper let out a hoarse cough. "That just makes us cowards. Not quite monsters. It _is _natural, isn't it? The feeling of fight or flight."

"It isn't right."

"Hardly anything in this world is," Jasper sighed as he buried his face into his hands.

A pregnant pause followed his words and I looked to the floor, afraid to look anybody in the face. This feeling of impending doom crept through my body and I couldn't fight back a shiver.

"Why does Dorian even want me?" I muttered. "What's so special about _me_?"

Nobody answered for a few seconds.

"I can only presume," Carlisle began. "That it originally had something to do with Victoria. She wanted to enlist Dorian and his clan's help in capturing you."

"But that can't be right," I protested, remembering how Iris had incapacitated Victoria without so much as a single word. "Victoria's weak. She can't possibly _force _them to help her."

"That is correct," Carlisle nodded. "But the only logical reasoning is that she told them about you and how you were immune to almost all powers. Knowing Dorian - he's probably curious."

He waited a few moments before saying a slew of dreaded words: "I think he wants you to join him."

I nearly heaved.

"Join them?" my voice was weak. "The Aurelius clan?"

Edward cut in. "That's not going to happen," he snarled. "Not without a fight to the death."

I looked at him, but he was growling at the floor. His profile was rigid and hard. Heart-breaking.

"No," I whispered, not thinking.

A few eyes directed themselves to my face and I felt a surge of sadness wipe through me.

"No," I repeated, my voice a little stronger this time.

"No, what?" Alice asked. My eyes stayed trained on Edward until he peeked at me, slowly turning his head in my direction. The intensity of his stare made me feel foolish. How could I ever have doubted his love? It was right there, written out for me to read, touch, grasp.

"I think we should go with choice A," I said slowly, not looking away from him.

Emmett looked confused. "Remind me - what was choice A again?"

I swallowed.

"I'll go to them peacefully," I clarified.

The atmosphere of the room changed immediately.

"No!" Edward growled. His hands clenched dangerously and I could see the white of his knuckles through his skin.

"It makes the most sense," I went on. "I'll go to them, they'll see that I've got nothing special to offer, and then I'll leave."

"It doesn't work like that!" he shouted at me. I cringed.

Edward was at my side in less than two strides and his hands were gripping my arm, fingers digging into my skin. He shook me hard, snarling the entire time.

"Are you _insane_?" he hissed. I looked up into his eyes and saw the shiny trace of phantom tears lining his eyelashes. He was studying me intently, searching for a hint. A hint of what? I didn't know.

"Just as much as you are," I murmured. His closeness was beginning to affect me, even as anger radiated off of him in heavy waves. The slight buzzing feeling pleasantly vibrating through my body made me weak.

His head was bent until his forehead touched mine. Suddenly, we were the only ones in the room. Everybody else was a blur and all that mattered was him and me and us, together.

"You're staying right here," he commanded softly, eyes still probing deep into mine. "Right here with me and you're not going _anywhere_. This isn't a request, Bella."

I understood and I relented. What else could I do?

"And don't you ever say anything like that again," he continued. I shivered, feeling his cool breath fan across my cheek. "Don't you _dare_. Save this self-sacrificing martyr act for somebody else because you're _mine_ and when you sacrifice yourself, you're sacrificing - "

He didn't get to finish because at that instant, the doorbell rang, breaking our spell. My heart fell in disappointment as I held Edward's gaze. He was close to panting and the pain in his eyes broke me.

Suddenly, the sound of wood cracking reached my ears and the distinct smell of Jacob hit my nose. Startled, I jumped back and snapped my head in the direction of the entryway.

Jacob was standing there, breathing hard, dark eyes focused on me. His hair was a wild disarray and his clothes were ripped open and hanging off his lithe frame.

"Jake?" I stepped away from Edward just as he tightened his hold on my arm. Jacob transferred his stare from me to Edward and the animosity between the two was palpable, even from across the room.

This had to stop.

"Jacob, what are you doing here?" I asked, confused.

He swallowed and took a moment to catch his breath.

"Charlie," he choked out, looking at me again. "We have Charlie down at the reserve."

My head spun at his words, various scenarios spinning through my head, all of them gruesome and involving wide pools of blood. I shuddered.

"What happened?" I demanded frantically, breaking away from Edward and crossing the room to my friend.

"We were - " he paused to take another gulp of breath. "We were trailing this vampire."

My jaw tightened.

"Just one?" I asked. He nodded.

"We were trailing him and noticed he was hanging around the police station. We realized he was going after Charlie, so before he could leave, my father went in and invited him on a fishing trip. He's at the reserve right now - he'll be safe there. I thought you should know."

There was a slight break in his voice before he added, "And for some reason, he thinks you and Edward are in Jacksonville."

There was no masking the accusatory nature of his voice.

"You didn't say anything, did you?" I asked warningly.

He shook his head.

"Good," I muttered, sneaking a quick look at Edward, who was glaring at Jacob.

I was still shaken by the idea that Charlie was almost attacked. If it weren't for the werewolves, he would've been…

"Can I see him?" I asked, getting ahead of myself. Jacob opened his mouth to answer, but Edward beat him to it.

"That's not a good idea," he said. I had a feeling that would be my answer.

Jacob didn't agree. "Why not?" he demanded, crossing his arms across his chest. "He's her father. Of course she has a right to see him."

Edward narrowed his eyes. "It's too dangerous."

"What do you mean?"

I looked from Jacob to Edward then to Alice, Jasper, and the rest of the Cullens standing off to the side, pretending not to be interested in our exchange.

Jacob scoffed, coming up with an answer to his own question. "Bella wouldn't harm her own _father_."

"Of course not," Edward rolled his eyes. "But we're not permitted on the reserve according to your treaty. And if Bella goes by herself…"

He trailed off, not bothering to mention the fact that the Aurelius Clan was already in town. Jacob blinked and turned to me.

"What's he going on about?"

I played with the hem of my shirt, trying to figure out the best way to tell him.

"Just _say _it, Bells," Jacob ordered. I sighed.

"The Aurelius is here," I said simply, then fidgeted nervously, wondering how he would react.

"What do you mean, _here_?"

"As in - they confronted us less than an hour ago. Or is it more? I'm not so sure."

Jacob whirled on Edward, growling.

"You're supposed to keep her safe!" he accused, pointing at him. Edward straightened, baring his teeth.

"She _is _safe," he returned. "Safer with me than you, anyways."

I stared at them both in disbelief.

"Stop!" I shouted, stomping my foot impetuously for effect. "Save the macho pissing contest for later, please. We have a situation at hand."

"Yes, ma'am," Edward grumbled, still keeping his cautious eyes on Jacob.

Jacob just mumbled in response.

I rubbed my temples, annoyed and feeling the starts of a throbbing headache.

"Okay look," I sighed, turning to Jacob. "Thanks for telling me, Jake. Keep an eye out for Charlie, okay?"

"I will."

"Thanks," I repeated. After a little pause, I touched his chest, ignoring a short snarl coming from Edward. "I need you to leave, okay?"

At Jake's hurt expression, I elaborated. "I need to think this through."

He nodded.

"Of course," he smiled warily and took me in his arms for a short hug. I couldn't shake off the distinct feeling that the hug was more for Edward's sake than mine. "I'll be seeing you."

With that, he turned and was out the door, leaving a trail of his slightly bitter scent behind him.

"This day gets better and better," Emmett groaned from behind me.

Carlisle answered, but I wasn't listening. All I noticed was something about "Denali" and "reinforcements" and the sounds of his feet padding away to the kitchen.

I felt Edward's presence as he leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"Let's go upstairs."

Nodding, I turned and let him lead me to his room.

…………

I stepped into his room and wrapped my arms around myself. After I heard the door click shut, I turned my head.

"I don't want to fight," I said softly as Edward took a step towards me.

"Then we wont."

He placed his hands on my waist and pulled me close as I closed my eyes.

"It feels like it's been forever," he mumbled into my hair as he leaned his head down to rest against mine. I took in a deep breath and let his sweetness wash over me.

I understood what he meant, even without elaboration.

"I know," I breathed, moving my arms so my hands could play with his shirt.

"While arguing with you has its own appeal, I can think of other things I'd rather be doing."

I shivered at the suggestion hidden in his words and I felt his lips curl up against my skin. He knew exactly what he was doing and for a moment, it annoyed me.

"Tell me something," I requested.

"What would you like to hear?"

"Something. Anything."

"Mm," he trailed his hands up and down my arm, bringing me even closer until there was no space left in between our bodies. "You're the most beautiful girl in the world."

I laughed a genuine laugh and leaned back to smack his chest.

"Something _meaningful_," I rolled my eyes. "And _true_."

He frowned but a playful glow danced in his eyes. "What do you mean 'meaningful and true'? You doubt my sincerity?"

I wrapped my arms around his neck and tiptoed up, lightly pressing my lips against his chin.

"No," I said into his ear, grinning. "I doubt your eyesight."

He slowly backed us up into the center of the room, heading toward the black, leather couch.

"I'll have you know," he raised an eyebrow. "My vision is beyond spectacular."

"Then I think you're biased," I teased. He ignored me and opted for nuzzling my neck. I felt the softness of his lips scatter kisses across my collarbone, making my knees go weak.

"Tell me something real," I insisted, resting my cheek on his shoulders as he lavished attention to the junction between my neck and shoulder.

After a lengthy pause, he said, "One of the reasons why I don't want you to see Charlie just yet… is because you're not the same."

I furrowed my eyebrows, uncertain as to what he meant.

"Not the same?" I asked him, stifling a little moan as he nipped at my earlobe.

"Mhm," he murmured. "You're quite different."

"Obviously. I'm not exactly thriving on potatoes and pizza anymore, am I?"

I pulled away a fraction and he sighed in frustration.

"You're ruining the mood," he whined, reaching out for me again. "We haven't been alone for weeks and you're choosing _now _to talk about the technicalities of how you _look_?"

"I _look _different, then?" When he nodded, I frowned. "I didn't notice. Well, with the exception of my eye-color, nothing much has changed, has it?"

He snorted and shook his head.

"Charlie's seen you while you were living and breathing. To him, quite a lot will seem changed."

"I don't see how," I twisted around, searching for a mirror and finding none in his room.

"After about a century in a never-changing body, I don't exactly need to look at myself anymore," was his way of explaining the lack of mirrors in his room.

"Pity," I said absently, not really paying attention to my words. "You're missing out on a great treat."

His laugh brought me back to the moment.

"A great treat, huh?" he looked amused. "You like looking at me that much?"

"Oh, shut up."

He shrugged. "You haven't seen yourself," he told me, "And even if you did, I'd doubt _you _would notice the difference."

My hands flew up to my face, trying to feel out any inconsistencies. Who knew? Maybe those so-called differences would be to my benefit.

Edward rolled his eyes. "No, not like _that_."

"Then like _what?_"

He paused, biding time. "I don't know how to put it in words. It's as if you're a … a lamp."

My mouth dropped, indignant.

"Wonderful," I grumbled, glowering up at him. "Go on. Keep comparing me to a lamp. I love it when you do that."

He went on, not paying any attention to me. "When you're alive, it's like daytime. The lamp isn't lit - it's just sitting on a desk. Now that you're _not _living anymore, it's nighttime and the lamp is shining brightly. Same lamp, same shape… yet different. Do you see what I'm trying to say?"

I stared at him and he added quickly, "Of course, you're not an ordinary lamp. More like the most elaborate chandelier that anybody's ever seen."

When I just continued to look at him, he sighed and took me in his arms.

"But see," he kissed my cheek and directed his mouth to my ear. "In the daytime, I loved you. I loved looking at you, feeling you, talking to you. But now, in the nighttime, you've become my light. I _need _you, Bella."

My heart swelled at his words and I gazed up into his eyes as he smiled and cupped the back of my neck with his hand.

"Bella, I - "

"Why are you still talking?" I asked in a whisper before reaching up to pull his head to mine, eliminating the distance between our lips.

The kiss was soft, gentle. A little match lighting up a single candle. But as his tongue gently prodded at the corner of my mouth, I smiled and parted my lips for him, letting the flame grow until it was too much for the candle.

His arms were a vice, pressing the length of my body against his and I pushed him backwards, turning him around until the couch was nudging against the back of his legs.

"God, Bella," he groaned into my mouth.

"You were right," I told him between kisses. They were getting more and more frantic as our time apart finally became reality and our bodies wondered what the heck had we been thinking. "It does feel like forever and I never want to feel forever again unless it's _with_ you, not without you."

Our lips met again and I felt like I tasted heaven. He wasn't holding back, now. I felt his hand run down my back to my thigh, tracing different curves, different muscles, felt his chest move against mine as he gasped in air.

I wasn't sure where we were going and a part of me was afraid. That part of me was scared and nervous, shooting warning bells in my head as his hand found its way under my shirt and was making its way up, leaving a burning trail in its wake. All I knew was that I didn't want to stop.

He gently nipped my bottom lip, teasing me with his teeth until I hissed. The places where his fingers touched were places that no one's ever touched me before and I shivered, half from excitement, half from fear.

Questions ran through my head; questions that seemed so irrelevant but meant everything right now. Would I be any good? Would he still love me after this?

I didn't realize I was sending frantic thought-waves out until an unmistakably male voice penetrated my thoughts.

"Do you even have to wonder?" he asked, pulling away a fraction. His hands were frozen right under my bra, his skin touching mine, soft, rough, hard, gentle, all at the same time. I forgot to breathe.

I kissed him in response and he seemed to accept my answer. Slowly, he lifted me up and my legs wound around his waist, pulling him as close as he could possibly get.

Suddenly, my back was colliding against the soft material of his couch and he was hovering over me. His arms were traveling upwards, pulling up the material of my shirt as it went, my back was arching up, helping him, my heart was suddenly beating again - or at least, that was what it _felt _like.

Somehow or another, my shirt fell off and was tossed carelessly to the side. I felt Edward's eyes appraising me, studying me, I heard the air being sucked into his mouth as he breathed in deeply.

Self-consciously, I felt the need to cover myself even though I was still wearing a bra. Rationally, I knew it shouldn't matter - bras were nothing more than bikinis, really, and didn't people wear bikinis out on the beach? But this was different. This was Edward and he had never seen me like this before.

He grabbed my wrist before I could fully move them.

"Don't," he said simply and kissed me lightly on the lips, letting his nose brush against mine. "You're perfect. Don't hide from me."

"Have you - "

I didn't know how to ask. I didn't know if I _should _ask.

"No," he shook his head and gave me half a smile. "Not like this. Not like _you_, anyway."

He was kissing me again and I felt his hand on my stomach, palms down, fingers spread. A finger dipped into my bellybutton, his hand moved up, slowly, cautiously, a fingertip trailed along the underwire of my bra carefully, as if it wasn't sure if it should.

My insides constricted, loving the way he was touching me, but feeling uneasy all the same. He must have felt my hesitation, because his hand fell away. Part of me screamed and part of me sighed in relief.

I wasn't ready for this yet. I knew he understood and I smiled against his lips, hooking my arms around his neck, pulling him down until he rested entirely against me.

"You don't have to worry about crushing me anymore," I grinned up at him, hooking my leg over one of his. His eyes met mine and he held my gaze for what seemed like eternity.

"No," he agreed softly, shaking his head. "I just have to worry about _you _crushing _me_."

For some reason, I knew he wasn't talking about his body. He was talking about something more, something significant.

"You can really break my heart, Bella," he said and it sounded more like a confession than an accusation. He was opening himself up and I relished the feeling. My finger traced along his cheekbone, down the side of his nose, to his parted lips.

"I don't know how to break hearts," I told him before kissing him.

The world slipped away again as his tongue slid past mine. I tasted his sweetness and loved it, wanting more and more. There was a whispered reminder that we still hadn't had that discussion yet, but as his teeth gently bit down on my shoulder, I forgot why it was so important.

At least, I forgot why it was important until a voice suddenly broke us apart.

At the sound of the voice, Edward jumped up and situated himself in front of me, shielding my state of semi-undress from whoever was at the door. From his flustered look, I realized he was just as caught up in the moment as I had been and hadn't been paying attention to the thoughts of everybody else in the house.

"Hello, Edward," the voice said, sultry and inviting. "You don't call, you don't write…. What's a girl to think?"

At the sound of the voice, I felt instant revulsion and anger at whoever it was and fought down the urge to push Edward aside and attack the stranger by the door.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So there was a slightly longer chapter to make up from the extended wait.

Hm. I read a review that made me realize that I never really described Dorian's full history and his history does provide insight to his character. I don't think I'll ever get to actually writing it into this story, so here's a brief synopsis:

_As a human, Dorian was a "bad guy" and that's the simplest way to put it. He stole, manipulated, whored himself about ... he was your everyday scum. After he was turned, his human ways carried on to his vampire ways: his powers are illusions which reflect his manipulations, he's still a bit of a playboy, he loves to completely desecrate towns for sport, etc. He never had a formal education and he's got his own understanding about how the world works, which is basically this: The strong will survive, I am the strong, therefore I will survive. _

_Dorian has no interest in getting to know the finer aspects in life - why would he when he can just have fun? And of course, being around for as long as he has, his vocabulary range is probably broader than most, but he __likes __to curse. He likes to hit people for fun. He likes to rob banks by just eating all the people, punching the safe open, and running with the money. It's all a part of who he is._

_He's not so much a "cunning mass murderer" than a ruthless bad-boy with a wild streak. He's not stupid, but he doesn't bother himself with trying to appear educated when it all doesn't really matter to him. That's one of the reasons why he's so dangerous - his lack of caution, his blatant disregard for anybody other than himself, and his habit of just going for whatever it is he wants._

I hope that helps a little bit. I'm seriously thinking that after BB is done, I'll write a Dorian story. It'll be a mix of adventure, horror, romance and it'll be from Dorian's POV. But that's just an idea. What I _know _I'll definitely be doing is writing interludes of Burn Beautiful from different POV's. You don't know how tempted I was to write the "make-out scene" (I hate calling it that) in this chapter in present tense and in Edward's POV. I think I'll do that later when I have more time.

So… read and review! Yay!


	19. Succubus

**Ch. 19: Succubus**

"Tanya," Edward's voice was cordial and slightly strained. "How are you?"

I shifted, moving my head just in time to catch the lazy smile stretch across a dazzling blonde girl's face as she took another step into the room and shut the door behind her.

"Oh, I've been well," she answered him. Her voice was low and seductive; I wanted to gauge her eyes out. "Better now that I'm here with you."

I swallowed down an angry growl, refusing to be affected by the nerve of the beautiful vampire as she flirted with _my _boyfriend. Fiancé.

Her eyes remained on Edward as she said, "And you must be Bella."

I glanced at Edward, but his eyes were fixed on Tanya.

"Yes," I said uncertainly, taking in the indescribable expression on his face. It made me uncomfortable and without thinking, I swung my legs down the side of the couch and stood, taking a step away from him. Tanya raised an eyebrow, taking in my state of undress.

At this point, I couldn't really care less. _Let her stare_, I thought vehemently. I had never been one to be petty about my appearance. I understood that I had certain good points, certain not-so-good points, and I just couldn't bring myself to care. The art of flaunting was foreign to me, so the idea that I was discreetly comparing my body with this _Tanya's_ unsettled me.

But no matter. My body was nothing to be ashamed of, and with that thought in mind, I crossed my arms under my chest, discreetly pushing up some certain assets of mine. Not that I was trying to or anything.

Edward's eyes flickered over to me and I noticed them inadvertently get drawn down to my chest. He blinked and visibly swallowed; I hid my smirk.

From across the room, Tanya's eyes narrowed and I saw a cloud of darkness mar her features before a saccharinely sweet smile replaced the frown.

"It's lovely to finally meet you," she crooned, crossing the room and thrusting out her arm. I stared at her outstretched hand for a while and after an incredulous moment, shook it.

Her grip was hard, firm, and it held a warning I didn't fail to read. I low snarled escaped my lips.

"Really," I raised an eyebrow. She nodded, still smiling.

"Alice told me _so _much about you," she gushed. "She just wouldn't stop talking about you!"

The fact that she deliberately left Edward out wasn't lost to me. She spoke a distinctly female language and I was able to read between the lines. She was trying to tell me that Edward _hadn't_ mentioned me. I stiffened, pretending to be unaffected when all I wanted to do was scream.

"I wish I could say the same," I said, tightly. "I have no idea in the world who you are."

Tanya just laughed, a throaty laugh. It was all sex.

"Edward _must_ have spoken about me, isn't that right, Edward?" her tone was rolling in waves of sexual appeal, all directed toward Edward. I clenched my fists. "We had such good times together."

I looked to him, waiting for him to dispute her statement, waiting for him to tell her to go to hell. It was all in vain; he didn't even respond. My stomach flipped over and apprehension washed over me.

Who was this girl and what was she to him? What had he done with her? What had she done _to _him? The questions threatened to drive me crazy.

"Actually, no," I answered for him, narrowing my eyes. "He never breathed a word about you. Should he have?"

She giggled and sent me a mischievous look, as if I were her best friend since childhood. My teeth ached.

"Oh, me and Edward," she paused dramatically, raised her hand, and crossed her fingers together. "We were like _that_. Weren't we, Edward?"

He shrugged and nodded. He turned to smile at me.

"Yes, we were close," he told me. My eyes widened. Was he just offering information like this to me to _hurt _me? It couldn't be. He wouldn't do that.

Would he?

I studied him intently, but his face was carefully blank. I mustered up all my will power and directed a thought straight at him.

_Who. Is. This. Girl?_

He seemed surprised at the hostility in my thoughts and I pasted a smug smile on my face at his worried expression. He quickly stood and reached for me.

As if I would walk right into his arms after _that_.

I snorted and moved away.

"Oh, were you two good friends?" I asked Tanya, forcing my voice to be as sweet as hers.

"You can say that," she smirked, looking at Edward again.

"How very cute."

Edward still wasn't saying anything and I refused to meet his gaze. The three of us stood there for an awkward moment until Tanya decided to be rudely blunt.

"Is there a reason why you're standing in your underwear?" she asked me, lacing disdain in her voice. As if she wasn't a two-cent whore. I nearly scoffed.

It astounded me, the level of resentment I felt for this girl. Usually, I was laid back. I didn't let people like her get to me, and I most certainly never _tried _to antagonize somebody.

"Oh, I was just playing house with Edward," I tilted my head in his direction and shrugged. "I guess you could say that we're also good friends."

Her eyes glittered angrily.

"Is that so?"

I felt Edward move toward me and before I could step away, his arm slipped around my waist, securing me to his side. I suppressed an annoyed snarl and tried to push him away.

There were times when I wanted to be happy with him and times I wanted to be annoyed. A part of me told myself that this was stupid and stubborn, but damn it! I wanted to be annoyed right now!

"Edward?" I looked up at his face, but instead of meeting his eyes, I focused on something less distracting - like his nose. "Isn't that so?"

He bent his head down to my ear and whispered, "What are you doing?"

I let out a sardonic laugh. "Making friends, what else?" I said in my normal voice.

Instead of answering me, he turned his attention to Tanya and changed the subject.

"Carlisle called you," he stated without question. She nodded and smiled brightly.

"Yes, he did. I was only too glad to come down and help out. And, of course, visit you, darling."

_Darling?_ I threw Edward's arm off me with a sudden surge of force, crossed the room in search of my shirt, and pulled it over my head. His eyes followed me and I saw a flash of something like disappointment in them. I just glared, waiting him to address Tanya.

He sighed and turned back to her.

"I don't know how I can thank you for coming out of your way to help us," he said sincerely and gratefully and I wanted to storm out of the room, screaming.

Tanya shot him a heated look.

"Oh, I can think of a few ways…"

I couldn't mute my growling anymore and it rumbled out from under my breath. Tanya glanced at me for a moment then shrugged, dismissing me promptly.

"But I don't think your _friend_ will like that," she said to Edward. He seemed confused, and I couldn't help but add something to her statement.

"_Fiancé_," I corrected her, glaring at Edward then looking away.

Before I could blink, two arms enveloped me from behind and I felt his sculpted chest pressed against my back. Tanya stared at us and I wanted to stick my tongue out at her.

Opting for the more mature route, I just let a smug smile wrap around my lips.

"Yes," Edward told her, resting his chin on my head. "We're finally engaged."

"Engaged?" she sputtered, looking dumbfounded.

I flashed my ring in front of me, letting the light catch on the topaz stone and send sparkling glows throughout the room.

She took a step closer, staring at it.

"It's not a diamond," she noted, sounding pleased. I resisted the urge to punch her.

"I didn't want diamond."

She gave me a doubtful look. "Every girl wants a diamond," she insisted.

I shrugged. "Diamonds aren't the color of Edward's eyes."

She sputtered again, a little more angrily this time.

"Well, Edward," she said, sounding less come-hither and more accusatory. "I didn't know you were the marrying type."

His arms tightened around me and I grinned.

"I don't really see how that has any relevance to why you're here," he answered. "Did Carlisle tell you how you're supposed to help?"

She sighed, suddenly looking bored.

"Something about strength in numbers. Kate and Carmen were originally going to come with us, but we're experiencing some… troubles in Canada right now."

He nodded.

"It didn't take you very long to arrive," he commented.

She sneered, sending me a pointed look. "What can I say? I'm fast. You should know that, Edward dear."

I bristled and Edward brushed his fingers against my stomach reassuringly.

"Well," Tanya started turning around. "I better go see what's going on downstairs."

_Good riddance_, I nearly shouted. She paused mid-step, twisting her head to give us one last look. "Seems like I've got my work cut out for me, huh?"

I didn't bother demanding what she meant by that.

As soon as she was out of the door, I extricated myself from Edward's hold and glared at him.

"What happened between the two of you?" I hissed up at him, putting my hands on my hips. Edward rolled his eyes.

"It was a long time ago. It wasn't even anything important," he told me. I wasn't convinced and he must have realized it, because he went on to elaborate. "A little while ago, we all lived together. Tanya and I became rather good friends. One night, she asked me to be her escort to a town ball and I consented. We took a try at the dating thing after that, but gave up within a week because we just didn't feel anything for each other. That's _all_. It was nothing and it _is _nothing!"

I was still simmering. "Doesn't _seem_ like nothing. What about when you were away? Was she one of your distractions?"

He stared at me incredulously.

"Bella, are you _jealous_?"

"No!"

Edward smirked knowingly. "It's okay to be jealous. It's completely unfounded, but okay. I'd be lying if I said - "

"I'm not jealous!" I shouted, frustrated. I _wasn't_. I wasn't even _close _to jealous! Just annoyed that a complete stranger could walk in on me during a private moment and upturn everything I thought was stable and safe and …

"Sure," he drawled.

"I mean it!"

Edward nodded and took a few steps closer, stopping just short of touching me.

"I believe you," he said, clearly meaning the opposite. I huffed and refused to look at him. "Bella, I lo-"

The door opened again and this time, Alice popped her head in. She paused for a second, taking in the sight of us together, less than inches apart…

"If you two are quite done being sappy and disgustingly cute, there's going to be a meeting downstairs in ten seconds," she grinned and disappeared.

………………………………………………………

When Edward and I made it down to the living room, Tanya was sitting on the couch inches away from Emmett, much to Rosalie's obvious annoyance. When Rosalie saw us step in the room, she immediately leapt up and stood next to me.

"If she giggles into Emmett's ear _one more time_," Rosalie growled under her breath, casting a livid look at our new, blonde addition.

Right on cue, Tanya leaned in, whispered something in Emmett's ear and giggled, making him smile slightly. Rosalie's eyes flashed.

Alice sauntered over to us and whispered, "Tanya's somewhat of a succubus."

"I can see that," Rosalie muttered. Alice shook her head.

"No, she's _really_ a succubus. It's one of her abilities to make anybody - mostly men - automatically desire her."

Edward snorted, listening into our conversation.

"Is that…" Rosalie squinted her eyes, "Is that _drool_ dripping down Emmett's chin?"

"She tried to turn on her charm on Jasper, but it didn't work," Alice said with a smile, obviously proud of Jasper's resistance.

Rosalie kept glaring at Tanya as she mumbled, "That's because the fool is too heads over heels for you to even _look _at anybody else."

Alice just grinned.

After a few seconds, Rosalie threw up her hands.

"I've had enough of this," she announced and marched over to the couch, dragging Emmett up and away from the beautiful, blonde leech.

He sent her an apologetic look and tried to kiss her, but she haughtily turned her head away.

I felt Edward's hand squeeze my side reassuringly. "She has no affect on me whatsoever," he whispered into my ear. "Stop worrying."

"I'm not worrying." Lie. Lie. Lie.

He smirked. "Yes you are. It's written all over your face."

Carlisle entered the room with Esme and all side conversation ended. He looked at all of us curiously before turning to Tanya.

"We're very grateful you can join us," he smiled at her before addressing the rest of us. "Tanya is one of the oldest vampires that still walks the earth - and is actually _the _oldest vampire that lives our lifestyle. I expect everybody will treat her with the respect she deserves."

She smirked at all of us as the female half of the family grumbled our acquiesce.

"As long as she keeps her claws off our men," Rosalie mumbled to herself and I choked back a laugh when I overheard her.

Carlisle continued. "I told you this over the phone, but it never hurts to recapitulate," he said. "The Aurelius clan - I'm sure you're familiar with them?"

Tanya nodded and her teeth shone. "Adrienne was absolutely delicious," she purred. "I never met Dorian, though. He's high on my to-do list."

"Well, I'm certain you'll be meeting him soon enough."

"I look forward to it."

"As you know, they have challenged us and I see no choice except to accept their challenge. There are five of them - "

Tanya sat forward, frowning. "I thought there were only three. Iris, Adrienne, Dorian, who else?"

"They've been joined by Victoria - "

"_Victoria_!" she exclaimed with a delighted laugh. "_Her_. She tried to kill me once after I fooled around with her mate, what was his name… James?"

Some of the built-up hatred I had for her dissipated when I saw her obvious contempt for the redhead. Maybe she wasn't so bad.

Carlisle sighed. "Yes, James. He's no longer contaminating the world with his existence. Victoria's new mate is Felix. I suspect you know him, too? Former guard of the Volturi?"

Tanya nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I might have seen him once or twice. In any case, that other guard, Demetri, is _much_ more of an eye-catcher, if I may say so myself."

"Yes, well those are the two new additions to their clan. The terms of their challenge is simply even teams."

"Then I don't see a problem," Tanya noted, looking at the eight of us. "You clearly outnumber them."

"In numbers, yes, we are superior. But not in ability."

"Ah. I see. You want me for my power, then?"

"Correct again," he smiled. "That way, we will have five vampires with special abilities to go against them. It gives us somewhat of an upper hand. Not much, but it's still something."

Edward suddenly straightened.

"What do you mean by _five_," he said slowly. "There's me, Jasper, and Tanya. That makes _three_. Not _five_."

Alice let out an impatient snort.

"There's also me and Bella," she reminded him.

"No there's not," Edward glared. Jasper looked up sharply.

"You're not fighting," he agreed with Edward.

"Of course we are," Alice retorted then turned to look at me. "Right?"

"That's right," I nodded. Apparently, Jasper and Edward had different ideas. They protested loudly, wildly, and the more they said "No!" the more Alice and I were adamant about staying.

"You and Alice are going to leave," Edward said. I had a sharp remark ready to slap back at him until I saw the pleading in his eyes.

"I'm the only one immune from their powers," I told him, keeping my voice firm.

"Not Dorian's."

"Not his, but Iris's and maybe Adrienne's. Iris can't freeze me and Adrienne can't block my ability - you _need_ me."

"I need you to be _safe_, Bella," Edward punched the wall behind him, making Esme wince.

"Easy on the house, dear," she scolded.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"You still see me as the weak human I was before," I said softly, putting my fingers under his chin until he looked directly into my eyes. "I'm _not_. You can't protect me forever, Edward. Maybe you should start letting me in."

"Bella - " he swallowed thickly, "Going into this fight. It's - it's suicide. Adrienne makes them all virtually invisible, Iris can freeze minds at a whim, and you might be immune to them, but your power isn't fully developed yet. And you're still susceptible to Dorian's illusions. Can't you see that it isn't _safe_?"

"And you think I'll let you walk into certain death alone?" I demanded, stepping back.

"She's right," Carlisle interjected before Edward could respond. "If she practices her ability, gains more control of it - she might be the only chance we have."

"Well what about the Quileutes?"

Everybody turned to Rosalie, who put her hands on her hips. "What?" she asked indignantly. "I can be open-minded sometimes."

"That's actually a very good idea," Jasper said after a while. "Aren't werewolves immune to most vampire powers?"

"It's doubtful they'd agree," Edward sounded unsure.

"I'm sure they'd be willing to help," I clapped my hands together. "I'll call Jacob."

"What? No!"

I didn't want to go through this again, so I ignored him and threw Carlisle a questioning glance.

"Go ahead," he motioned. I smiled and walked toward the kitchen. Edward followed me and I was thrown into a wild sense of deja vu.

I ignored him and picked up the phone, only to have him snatch it out of my hands.

"Give it back," I commanded softly.

"No," he said, pinning me with fierce eyes. "Not until you tell me why you have to go against me in everything."

"I'm not."

"Then what's this?"

"This?" I raised an eyebrow. "This is me being rational and you being stubborn."

"Oh, _I'm _the stubborn one, now?" he sounded frustrated. "By trying to keep you safe, I'm stubborn?"

"You keep acting like I'm weak! Like I don't have a functional brain!"

"I'd just feel better knowing if you weren't in any immediate danger. What's so despicable about that?"

"Then you never should've turned me," I ground out, gripping at the counter and feeling the marble crack under my hand.

"Maybe that was my first mistake!"

His chest was heaving and I froze, comprehending his harsh words. My heart dropped to the ceramic kitchen tiles and shattered into a million pieces.

I stared into his face, not believing, not _wanting_ to believe. His eyes were wide and shining, his beautiful features changing from anger, to shock, and very slowly to regret. I saw the turntables in his mind backtrack as he realized what he had just burst out.

"Bella," he choked, dropping the phone to the floor. "I didn't mean that."

The apology in his eyes begged me to say something and I just couldn't. His words hurt me so much.

"I think you did."

"No, Bella - I don't - "

"Look," I sighed, turning away from him. Looking at him was unbearable. "Maybe you didn't mean that entirely, but the sentiment was already in you. The thought was always there."

"I was angry, I'd never - "

"Stop it, Edward!" I snapped, not willing to hear his apologies. "Remember what you said to me earlier? About me being able to break your heart? It goes the same for you, okay? You can really break my heart, too. You have. Several times."

"Bella," his voice was a croak and I felt him move closer.

"No," I held up a hand to stop him. "I love you. I do. I just can't talk to you right now."

"Wait, don't - "

"Just leave," I squeezed my eyes shut. "Go back to Tanya."

Time froze in place and I took deep breathes, willing my heart to pick itself back up and fall together again. I willed the past few minutes back. I willed myself to be strong.

A part of me understood that what he said was in the heat of the moment, but another part of me didn't want to understand. I _wanted_ to be angry at him - I had every right to. But too much of me understood.

I understood he was scared for me. I understood he didn't want to lose me. I understood that he wanted me alive and with him forever.

I heard his sharp intake of breath and I felt the exact moment he decided to give up. I listened as his feet took him outside of the kitchen.

I waited forever until I picked up the phone that lay forgotten on the floor and dialed Jacob's number.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So there ya go. The stranger at the door . Most of you might hate Tanya right now… but I really like her. She's a bitch most of the time, but I think she's pretty bad-ass - she'll be very important to the story (and no, Edward will never cheat on Bella with her). 

This story's looking to have about 5 more chapters and a sequel. The sequel wont be in Bella's POV. In fact, it wont be in any of the Cullen's point of view. It wont even be ABOUT the Cullens - though they will make appearances. I don't want to say anything else or I might give something away, but I think you guys'll like it.

CLARIFICATION! (A few people seemed confused about the Bella not being the narrator in the sequel)... Bella and Edward's story ends when Burn Beautiful ends. All the loose ends will be resolved,... however, there are certain characters who's loose ends WONT be resolved... and will be resolved in the sequel. Namely, my original characters. I refuse to do a sequel to this with Bella as the narrator because by then, Ms. Meyer will have already released Eclipse and, quite frankly, I'm getting a little tired of writing Bella.

I never realized this before, but writing a character that's not your own is INCREDIBLY frustrating because you want to incorporate certain things, but then you remember all the restrictions and going OOC, etc. and it's just really, really annoying. I won't stop writing BB because I'm already way too into this and love it too much, but I wont be writing any more Bella POV stories from now on.

Excluding "Unexpected Obstacles" because that story is pretty much all OOC

Thanks for the reviews, you guys!! 360!!!! That's a first for me. You guys are the best. Keep reading and reviewing and I'll do my best to churn out chapters!


	20. Confrontations

**Ch. 20: Confrontations**

Jacob had agreed to meet me at the edge of the cliff and for once, I was grateful for Edward's inability to hear my thoughts. I made Alice promise not to let the details of what I was about to do slip out to Edward and as the sun began to slowly set, I slipped through the side door and down the driveway.

But of course, even the best laid plans can go wrong.

"Bella," his voice rang from the doorway and I froze.

Slowly, I turned around to face him, wondering to myself if I was ready for this discussion. One look at his face told me that I wasn't. He was leaning against the doorframe, mouth drawn into a light frown, brow furrowed, strong jawline pulled taut. His skin sparkled dimly in the darkening sky and I inhaled a short, quick breath, wishing I could go to him, but knowing that I couldn't.

"Not now, Edward," I mumbled, backing away.

He didn't listen to me. Instead, he pushed himself off the frame and sauntered toward me, reaching his hand out to touch me.

_No,_ I flinched involuntarily.

_Don't touch me_, my mind snapped and his hand jerked back as if burned.

"Bella - " his voice cracked. I cringed. His voice _never _cracked. It was always too lyrical, too velvety and smooth and flawless. It hit me that _I _was the reason why that voice was breaking and if he were a human, maybe he would be in tears.

That thought alone ate at me and I turned away from him, unable to meet his probing gaze and his hurt expression.

"I'll be back soon," I told him. "Don't follow me."

"Wait, no - "

I was off before he could get another word in.

………………………………………………………

Here I was, at the cliff again. The breeze lifted my hair and blew it hard so it whipped across my face, but I did nothing to stop it. My eyes closed of their own accord and I sighed, enjoying the sunset without actually seeing it. I imagined the red, orange, purple hazes behind my eyelids, listened to the crashing of the waves a hundred or so feet below me, felt the ends of my hair tickle my nose.

So much happened here. Right here, At this cliff.

If I was really quiet, I could almost hear children laughing and parents calling them into the house for dinner. Families in their backyards, happily oblivious to the dangers surrounding them. They were miles away, but if I stayed still, I could hear their conversation.

_Five more minutes, Mommy. Please?_

_No, it's dinner time. Tell your dad to come in, too._

_Aww, Ma!_

_And don't forget to wash your hands!_

I smiled, remembering a time years ago when I was that age. When Charlie and Renee were still together and I was an even bigger klutz than I was now…

Jacob's scent reached my nose and I heard the rustling sound of leaves as they brushed against his thick fur.

"How are you?" I turned and caught him just in the tail end of his change. The paws elongated into fingers and his back straightened into the stance of a man.

"Pretty good, considering," he answered, smiling.

"And Charlie?"

"Safe for the time being. He doesn't suspect anything."

"Good."

"And you?" Jacob joined me at the edge of the cliff. The breeze picked up his hair as well and I giggled as it slapped into his mouth. He wrinkled his nose and carefully pulled his hair back.

"Stupid hair's getting too long," he grumbled good-naturedly. He turned back toward the ocean below. I took a second to examine his sturdy profile. His skin was darker now, more brown than bronze, golden highlights of the sun illuminated his skin. He looked worn, but at the same time, he seemed healthier than ever.

"I'm … in trouble," I sighed. He turned back toward me and raised an eyebrow.

"When are you not?" he quipped, grinning. Worry was laced through the light tones of his voice and I bumped him with my shoulder, laughing lightly.

"The Aurelius challenged us," I explained.

"Challenged?"

"They want me," I told him. "But they're willing to fight the Cullens'. If they win, I'll have to go with Dorian."

I told him about the challenge, about the Aurelius, making sure to describe each of their abilities in details. The lines on his forehead grew deeper and deeper as his eyes hardened.

"Jesus, Bells," he swore when I was finished. "You really are in trouble."

I nodded and shrugged. "Yeah."

"What can I do to help?"

I turned to him in surprise. He smiled at me and spread his hands out, indicating to me that he was at my disposal. I couldn't hide my happiness. He'd offered himself to me, just like that.

"Are werewolves immune to vampire powers?" I asked him, curious. He'd been absent from Alice's future flashes, yet Edward had been able to read his mind.

"In human form, we're immune to most. But when we're wolves - nothing can affect us."

"So you're willing to - "

The scent of bitterness and wet dog cut me off. My neck nearly snapped as I twisted around, flaring my nostrils. My entire body was automatically tensed and my mind reeled, spinning as fast as it could as I tried to place the smell.

_Werewolves_.

I glanced at Jacob and registered the guilty look on his face.

"You told me we would be alone," I accused, digging my nails into my palm.

Before he could answer, Sam stepped out from the woods, followed by Paul, Embry, Jared, and … Quil.

Quil looked at me wildly and I felt a pang at the helpless, lost expression written all over his face. Was it really that long ago when he told me how he was worried about Sam's gang? How he was scared they were going to come for him next? It felt like yesterday. He was taller than what I remembered, but he still managed to remain a head shorter than the rest of them.

The rest of the werewolves stared at me warily and I realized they still didn't trust me. It didn't matter that just a few months ago, they had cautiously accepted me and were willing to help me - now, half of them looked ready to tear my head off.

"We're here to help," Sam announced. I opened and closed my mouth, searching for something to say. There were scattered murmurs and growls coming from his pack.

The best I could come up with was: "Why?"

He gave me a disbelieving look and snorted. "You think we want the Aurelians on our turf? I know what's going on. I know about the challenge - and I know that we can help. We'll set up an extra attack front and - "

"They said they wanted even teams."

Sam blinked at me and I realized that what I had just said was completely idiotic.

"If you think they're going to be playing fair, you're crazy," he sneered, condescendingly. "They'll have you playing their game, then BOOM! You're all gone."

A small part of me shouted in agreement.

He sighed. "Look, we're not affected by their powers. We're your best bet."

I nodded. "So, do you have a plan?" I inwardly hoped he did because just the idea of an all out fight was enough to make me want to flee.

"Actually," his teeth shone as his lips curled up into a wide smile. "I do. We can't let them know of our plans, so the best way to fight them is to try and separate them one by one, lure them to the far end of the meadow - where the fight will happen, I expect - and we'll ambush them. It's perfect and - "

He suddenly stopped and roared, surprising me so much that I almost jumped and screamed.

The rest of the packed tensed and I inadvertently sniffed the air, trying to sense what was bothering them. It took me less than a second to figure it out; I could recognize Edward's scent from anywhere.

Sure enough, he emerged from the path, closely followed by Tanya.

"We only agreed to talk to _her_," Sam snarled, clenching his fists. I stiffened, looking from Edward's dark, pleading gaze to Tanya's smug one.

Jacob noticed the exchange and I heard a little growl rumble from his throat.

"He's the reason why you threw your life away?" he demanded, glaring at the three of us. "He seemed to throw you away pretty fast."

At that moment, all I wanted to do was run away. The frustration was blinding, unreasonable jealousy raging; I wanted to tear my eyes out.

Edward narrowed his eyes at Jacob. "Don't talk about what you know nothing about."

Tanya remained silent as Jacob curled his lips above his teeth, snarling.

"Enough!" Sam interjected before either of them could respond. "What are you doing here, vampire?"

"Alice had a vision," Edward informed him, looking back my way again. "Dorian's heading out here."

I frowned.

"Adrien and Iris aren't with him," he explained when he saw the look on my face. "He's coming alone."

Sam scoffed arrogantly. "Let him come," he threw his arm out. "We can take one vampire down."

"Bad idea," Tanya smirked, casting him a livid look masked by hooded eyelids.

"How so?" he snorted. "It will make things simpler."

"Dorian is too powerful for a measly pack of _dogs_," she lifted her upper lip in a condescending sneer.

Sam's anger was evident in his resounding growl. "And in case you've forgotten, _blood-sucker_, we 'measly pack of dogs' aren't susceptible to his so-called _power_."

"Do you want an entire vampire pack after you?" Edward asked, the annoyance seeping into his hardened voice.

"Let them come."

"Don't be absurd. That's certain suicide."

For a moment, it looked like Sam would carry on with the argument, but after a prolonged glaring contest, he grumbled to himself and started walking away.

"Let's move out," he ordered the wolves around him and they followed him out of the clearing and back into the woods.

Jacob lingered behind, transferring his gaze from me to Edward as if unsure what his next move should be.

"Bella?" he asked, his voice uncertain.

"I'll be fine, Jacob." I offered him a faint smile and from the corner of my eye, saw Edward scowling at the two of us.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

He swooped me in for a brief, tight hug, whispering "I love you," fiercely into my ear before letting go and disappearing with the rest of his pack.

Edward watched our exchange and by the look on his face, I knew he heard Jacob's words. Or at least, his thoughts.

An awkward silence settled in as the three of us just stood there, looking everywhere and nowhere at once. My hair was flapping wildly along in the wind and I noticed with disdain that somehow, Tanya's blonde locks managed to remain in place and stay picture perfect.

Her buttery, amber eyes regarded me with icy calmness and I felt my back teeth grinding into each other.

I couldn't hold back my anger anymore.

"What is _she _doing here?" I demanded to know. Tanya crossed her arms in front of me and lifted her chin.

"To help," Edward answered, his voice tight. A soft rumble sounded deep in my throat and I swallowed, trying to reign in my frustration with him and the world.

At first, I thought he was going to say more and I waited, but nothing else escaped those perfectly shaped lips of his. Frowning, I turned away.

"What are we waiting for?" I mumbled, shivering involuntarily.

"Dorian."

"Oh."

Is this what we had come to? Flaccid questions and one word responses? Anger sprang up in my chest again. Dozens of thoughts ran through my head; some wanting to tell him off, some wanting to beg him back. Miraculously, I remained cool and contained. If anybody was going to make the first move, it would be him.

But he didn't say a word.

Instead, it was Tanya's mellowed voice that broke me from my deep contemplation.

"Don't be angry with Edward," she sighed, sounding defeated and annoyed all at once. "He's done nothing wrong."

"Of course not," I snorted, refusing to look at either of them. "He's Edward. He can do no wrong."

"Bella - "

Tanya cut him off. "If anything, you should be angry with _me_. Sometimes, I come on a little strong - maybe even too strong. I'm not going to apologize for it; why should I? It's just the way I am. Most men would be falling at my feet by now, considering the amount of energy I've directed towards your fiancé. He's resisted over and over again. I'm not sure if you know the extent of my power, but that means a lot.

"Clearly, after the first five minutes of getting no reaction from him, I've given up. I don't want your fiancé and he doesn't want me," she finished, gesturing toward Edward with a careless wave of her wrist.

I digested her words, trying to figure out what it all meant. Alice had told me what Tanya's power was and I had seen the evidence when Emmett couldn't tear his eyes off of her, but it never hit me until…

Edward wasn't affected by her. Did that mean something? What did it mean? My insecurities hit me full force and I breathed out slowly, closing my eyes for a short moment.

"Bella?"

His voice sounded insecure and I sighed a soft, "Oh."

"Oh?" he repeated, sounding incredulous. "I already _told _you that."

And he did. He had told me that there was nothing between him and Tanya. It was just - I couldn't even answer myself.

"I know," I said. "I just…"

"Don't you trust me?" his voice was hardened and angry.

"It's not that. I - "

I couldn't continue.

"What?" he prompted. I lifted my eyes to meet his and was thrown by intensity of his gaze. Again, the rest of the world blurred away and it was just the two of us standing yards away from each other.

Or feet, inches,… I didn't know how he had gotten so close so suddenly. My throat suddenly felt dry and I swallowed, hard. This was it, I realized. Here was our climactic confrontation, right here by a cliff I wished I never discovered, in front of a girl I wished I never met.

Pride flattened out my lips and for a split second, I considered running off. Delaying our talk was tempting, so tempting I could almost taste the relief.

But no. It had to be done. I glanced at Tanya briefly and she immediately shrugged and stalked off, shoulders stiff.

"Bella," Edward sounded stiff, maybe a little tired.

"I'm - " I swallowed again, summoning whatever courage was left in me. "I'm afraid."

"Afraid?" his voice was sharp, surprised. I looked into his eyes from under my eyelashes, uneasy with what I had to say. Flecks of gold and honey brown glistened from the dark, topaz irises. "Afraid of what?"

"Losing you," I mumbled.

"Bella - "

"No, let me finish," I interrupted. The words knew no hesitancy now. They flooded from my mouth as if the dam holding them back crumbled down into some deep abyss. "I need you. Like I really, _really _need you. The first time you left me - I was nothing but a shell of a person. I wasn't even _that_. I was a _cracked _shell. My life was completely, absolutely miserable."

I saw the instant pain and regret in his eyes and I quickly continued before he could say anything.

"And I know you promised me you'd never leave me again. I know that, but to me, they're just words. You say them over and over again, but when I try to … reach out and touch them, they feel like tiny particles of mist. Not solid… unstable.

"I tried to ignore it, but I can't. I tell myself everyday that you're real and you wont leave, but it's hard for me to convince myself because ever since you turned me, I feel like I don't really have you. You're there, but at the same time … you're not."

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and finishing, "And it kills me more than you can ever imagine."

_There it is_, I thought, biting my lip. It was all out in the open now. Thoughts that had been gnawing at me for hours, days, weeks. Thoughts that had slowly been wasting me away until I was the same shell I had been a few months ago.

When he finally spoke, his voice was laced with disbelief.

"Don't have me?" he asked, tone deep. There was that tinge of restraint and I knew that whatever was about to come wasn't what I hoped it would be. "_Everything_ I've done is for you! How can you say that you feel like I'm not there?"

"You're - "

"No, you've said your piece. It's my turn now," he cut me off with a fierce look and a short growl. My mouth clamped shut.

"If you don't know how much you mean to me by now, then maybe we're doing something very wrong. You are my entire _life_, Bella. Every single thing that I do, every single word that I say… it's _for you_. It's to make sure that twenty, fifty, a _million _years from now, you're still standing next to me with every single strand of hair intact because if something happened to you now, God knows what I would do.

"I can be overbearing sometimes. I know that. But - _God_, Bella - things aren't completely safe at the moment and you are, by far, the most stubborn, careless person that I have ever known. When you were human, you wouldn't think twice before stepping into the street right in front of a moving truck! As a vampire, you still haven't learned the meaning of _danger_. You put yourself in these perilous situations and every single time, a small piece of me feels like it's cracking off and one of these days, I think that … "

He choked and I held my breath.

"Do you know how much I love you?" he asked me, teeth clenched, eyes burning into mine. "Do you know how much you mean to me?"

My heart soared and suddenly, me head was dizzy.

"You haven't told me you loved me since I was still human," I breathed, afraid to listen to my own voice. "I was starting to think maybe - "

His crease appeared between his eyebrows as comprehension dawned on his features. "Is that - ?" Edward shook his head, disbelievingly. "You were concerned about the extent of my feelings towards you?"

I nodded, mute.

"Bella, you're - " a small bubble of a laugh escaped his lips and he snatched my arm up with a strong hand. He shook me once, hard. "How am I supposed to work on our _relationship_ when I'm too busy trying to keep you alive?"

His fingers dug into my skin and I welcomed the pain. To me, it felt real; it was something to latch onto and I never wanted him to let go.

"_Fuck_," he snarled under his breath and I nearly jumped. Catching himself, he muttered a quick, "Sorry. I don't usually - I hate swearing, it's just - "

Edward's mouth opened and closed one, two, three times before he finally spoke again.

"Do you know what it would do to me if you died?" he asked me, voice controlled, thinly veiling his distress. I almost wished he'd screamed at me.

His face was so close to mine and I felt the coolness of his breath fan against my cheek. I shuddered, taking a breath, feeling my eyelids flutter down as I inhaled his sweet, beautiful scent.

"You'd go to Aro," I said softly, repeating a mantra he'd whispered into my ear so long ago. Or was it really that long ago? My eyes latched onto his again and I took a step closer, leaning my head up so our noses almost touched. "If anything happens to me, promise me you wont do it. Promise me, Edward."

"That's one promise I cannot make," he murmured and I felt dry tears blurring my vision. His arms wrapped around my waist and he pulled me against his chest. "Because if I allowed myself to exist afterwards, I would be a breath of a man. My life would be already dead and a body without a soul is a menace to society."

My fingers clutched the back of his shirt and I rested my forehead against his chest, shaking.

"If anything happens to you, I would never forgive myself," he whispered against the skin of my neck, holding me even tighter. "I _can't_ lose you."

"You wont," I tried to reassure him.

"Promise me something," he spoke quietly, urgently.

"Anything."

"Promise me you wont put yourself in any immediate danger."

I froze. He had done it again and this was a promise I knew I couldn't make.

"I love you," I breathed into his ear, not answering him. I lifted my head up and pulled his down, covering his lips with mine, drowning out whatever he was about to say.

At first, he was stiff and unmoving, but after a few seconds, his lips parted and his head tilted to the side, deepening the kiss.

_I love you._

We didn't even notice that the water underneath the cliff was rising, crashing against the rocks violently. We didn't see the sky darkening and the clouds rolling in, dark and threatening.

We didn't stop kissing until we heard the distinct sound of Tanya clearing her throat less than five feet away.

Edward turned toward her with an annoyed look.

"I hate to break up this happy reconciliation," she smirked at us with one raised eyebrow. "But we've got company…"

**Author's Note:** So that took a little longer than I expected. There's your confrontation… and Dorian will be in the next chapter! Thanks for all the reviews, guys. Your support is invaluable to me; very, very motivating. Next chapter should be up… sometime soon.


	21. Sight

**Ch. 21: Sight**

A raindrop the size of a quarter landed on my nose and I blinked, surprised. My hands were still wound through Edward's hair and his arms were still tight around my waist.

"What?" I asked Tanya, knowing the answer and dreading it at the same time as I turned my head to the sky. The sun was completely gone now, replaced with an endlessly gray and blue sky, outlined with black clouds.

She opened her mouth, but just then, the water that had been dangerously swirling around the cliff suddenly shot up, leaping for the sky and towering millions of miles above us.

Tanya screamed and jumped back.

Edward shouted something incomprehensible and pushed me backwards until I fell into Tanya's stiffened body. He rushed us away from the cliff as all the ocean's water flew into the air, roaring as it went.

"Get back!" he commanded, shielding us with his body, as if he were a match for miles upon miles of raging rapids. Lightning cracked down from the sky, scorching through the risen waterfall.

I felt Tanya trembling against me and I stepped even closer.

"Don't worry," I whispered, even though I was shaking to my toes. "It's not real. It's just an illusion."

She swore.

"Feels pretty damn real to me," her teeth chattered.

"Well," I paused for a moment. "It's not."

The wind howled, deafening me for an extended moment before swirling back and dying out to a torrent of rapid raindrops. I caught the tail end of her sentence.

" - we ever know?"

"What?" I shouted, raising my voice to carry over the angry sounds of the storm. Glancing over, I saw Edward scanning the vicinity, crouched in an attack stance.

"How would we ever know what's real?" Tanya asked. I blinked at her, swiping at the wet hair that clung to the side of my face.

"We just _know_."

She shook her head, disagreeing.

"No, the only thing that's real is what you see," she objected. "Because what you see is what's in your mind and there is nothing more real than the mind. When you die in the Matrix, you die in real life. Whatever that is."

My mouth dropped at her off-hand comment. It seemed so odd coming from her, more than a century year old vampire, to be referring to recent pop-culture as she stood in the middle of a dark storm too violent to be natural. A tree branch snapped and she glanced at me, catching my surprised expression.

"What?" she demanded, seeming irritated. "Just because I'm a vampire doesn't mean I can't enjoy the luxuries of 20th century human entertainment. And anyway, the guy who plays Neo is a vampire."

"No way," I widened my eyes, blinking quickly as a large piece of hail hit me. "You're kidding."

"Most definitely not," she glared. "I met him myself, back when - "

A wide streak of lightening blazed through the sky and struck down a particularly tall oak tree, interrupting her. The ground trembled and slowly, the sound of wood cracking overtook the air.

"Watch out!" Edward shouted, pushing both of us back as the huge tree fell to the ground. He roared, flinging his head up and shouting to the opening sky, "Damn you, Dorian! It hasn't been a week yet."

Then there was that voice again. That smooth, beautiful, electrifying, yet terrifying voice.

"I got tired of waiting."

It didn't surprise me, the nonchalance and ease of his tone. My eyes narrowed as he stepped out from behind a particularly wide bush. It was as if he'd just stepped out of an ad shooting, with his dark, wet locks sticking to his alabaster skin. There was an easy smirk on his lips as he carefully flicked a water droplet from the tip of his straight, elegant nose.

Edward stood taller, shifting so his body was shielding both me and Tanya from Dorian's view.

But even then, I could still see him, black, button-down shirt hanging half-tucked from black pants, the top few buttons undone, giving the world a glimpse of his muscular chest.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Tanya's eyes widen as her eyes traveled over his body. Her lips moved and I thought I heard her whisper a name, but the wind was so loud, I couldn't be sure.

"That wasn't the deal, Dorian," Edward was saying.

Dorian shrugged, evidently not caring.

"Like I say, I got tired," he repeated before tilting his head and casting me a toothy smile. "And it seems like I'm the one with the upper-hand here, yeah?"

Stony silence met him for an answer and he chuckled.

"So, what'll it be, mate?" he asked, taking a step closer to Edward. "Do you accept the challenge?"

"We accept," Edward responded, his velvet voice low and even. "Just give us a time and a place and we'll be more than ready to send you right where you belong."

"Is that what you think?" Dorian sounded amused.

"Oh, it's what I know."

"And, from one man to another, where exactly is it that I belong?"

From where I stood, I saw a smirk to match Dorian's crawl up Edward's face.

"To the ninth circle of hell."

Dorian's smile froze on his face as his eyes iced over. "I'm a lot of things, _Dante_," he said, a low growl accentuating his words. "But if I recall, the ninth circle of hell is for traitors. And the one thing that I am _not_ … is a traitor."

"Treachery isn't always black and white. You're a traitor to mankind just by existing the way you do. Besides, it was the hypothetical hell."

"Ah," Dorian nodded, smile still in place. "Pity I don't believe in hell."

Edward slowly bore his glistening white teeth as the mixture of hail and rain pouring down from the sky mellowed down to a drizzle. The upside-down waterfall receded and fell back down over the cliff where it belonged.

"After we're done with you, you'll be praying to a God you never thought existed and asking for his mercy," he sneered. Dorian laughed, eyes flashing.

"We'll see about that in three days. Sunset. Right here."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "This is Quileute territory."

"And?"

"We're not permitted on their land."

Dorian snorted, rolling his garnet eyes. "You think I care?"

Edward stared at him for a long moment before slowly nodding his head. "Fine."

"Now that _that _business is taken care of," Dorian side-stepped Edward and fixed his eyes on me. "How have you - "

His words trailed off as he transferred his gaze from me to Tanya. It was as if he'd seen a ghost - his eyes widened, his jaw slackened, and there was that little flare in his nostrils that made it seem like he was holding back … _everything_.

I peered at Edward and saw him watching the exchange between Dorian and Tanya as well.

What was going on?

Dorian was the first one to break the silence, muttering a soft, almost tender, "Tanya…"

Tanya swallowed and I saw her eyelids flutter down for a short second before she looked at him again and gave him a small smile.

"Finleigh."

The tips of his ears tinged the faintest pink. At the same time, the rain completely stopped and the dark thunder clouds overhead seemed to lighten marginally.

"It's Dorian now, actually."

"Dorian."

He nodded, looking a bit flustered. He shifted his weight between his feet and his fingers were clenching and unclenching one moment then fiddling with the hem of his shirt the next.

"Yeah, I, uh, changed it when I … came over to the Americas," he faltered and ended with a hopeful little smile that made me realize that whatever had happened between Dorian and Tanya must have been very, _very_ personal.

I backed up a step and absently held out my left hand, reaching for Edward. His hand caught mine and held it tight, drawing me closer to his side as we silently watched the spectacle before us.

"You know, Irish and English relations and all of that," he continued on. "Didn't need anybody suspecting me of - "

"You changed your accent, too."

"Oh yeah, that. Yeah, I did. They - they wouldn't have let me on the boat if they realized I was Irish, so I - "

"I didn't know you needed permission to board a ship," Tanya's voice was light and calculated, her eyes narrowed. "You were a _vampire_ for God's sake."

"Well, I - " he paused, biting his lower lip. "I was young."

She let out a short laugh. "That you were."

"Tanya…"

The silence overtook them again. By now, the clouds had cleared completely and the sun had already set below the horizon, leaving us under a sheet of stars and a solitary moon.

I studied Tanya's face and recognized the conflicted emotions that flitted across her features for a split second before her expression become stolid again.

"Well, if that's all," she straightened, looking Dorian directly in the eye. "I should probably - "

"No!" he cried out, impulsively reaching out to grasp her upper-arm. "Don't go. I - we…"

She stilled and stared at his hand. I felt Edward's arm snake around my waist and I leaned into him, closing my eyes for a moment to breath in his comforting scent.

It was too easy to read Dorian's desperation in his body language and features. It didn't surprise me, really. He didn't seem like the type to keep things in.

But the things that I read confused me. Love, hurt, pain, longing, hope - all emotions I didn't realize he had. They were emotions I thought had been washed out of him.

"What do you want with me?" Tanya asked him quietly, refusing to meet his eyes.

"You - you ran away! It seems like a lifetime ago, but - "

"Two."

"What?"

She sighed. "Two lifetimes ago. Two generations," Tanya breathed out, then shrugged. "But who's counting?"

"You - " he swallowed hard. "What are you doing here? Now?"

"I'm helping out old friends. Giving them a lending hand in some big, upcoming fight they're supposed to be having in apparently three days. I guess the fight is with you and yours, huh?"

"You're helping _them_? But, they're - "

"Just like me, Fin - _Dorian_," she filled in, looking back up. "They live the same lifestyle as I do. The same lifestyle you just couldn't seem to stand, which is why I left you."

He was quiet for a long moment.

"Did you know you'd be fighting me?" he finally asked. Tanya laughed at this, a hard, raucous laugh that held no humor.

"I knew they were fighting Dorian. How could I have known that their Dorian was my Finleigh?"

"But, you _must _have heard of me before! The Aurelius - "

"Oh, I've heard _of _you, yes. Wanted to meet you even, once upon a time. I guess I never connected the dots that linked Fin and Dorian. How could I? You never bothered to keep in touch."

"I didn't know you wanted me to."

"Part of me didn't. Part of me hated you," she looked away again and he snorted in frustration, taking her chin in his other hand and tilting it up. She yanked her head away and took a step away from him, throwing off his hands. "A part of me _still _hates you. But … part of me hoped that you cared enough to try and run after me."

His brow furrowed. "I did care! How was I supposed to know you still wanted me?"

"I'm a _woman_, Fin! Jesus! With all the womanizing you did as a human, you'd think you learned _something_ about reading us. Sometimes, saying '_go away'_ means the same thing as '_I need you'!_"

"You _pushed _me out of a moving train's window as you were leaving, Tanya! That screams '_leave me alone_' to me!"

She let out a frustrated growl and made a move to shove him back, but he caught her wrists before she could cause any real damage.

"Let me go!" she hissed, twisting around.

"No! I let you go one hundred and twenty eight years ago. I'm not making the same mistake twice."

"I _hate_ you."

"And I love you," he pulled her against him and wrapped both arms around her, pinning her arms to her side. She started shaking and writhing against him, fighting off sobs and trying to get away at the same time.

"No, you _don't_," she snarled. "You don't even know me anymore!"

"Sure I do," he buried his head against the crook of her neck and shoulder. His words were slightly muffled against her skin, but I could still make them out. "You're Tanya. You're beautiful, you're bold, you're vicious, you know what you want and you take it, you're selfish, you're conniving, but at the same time, you're the most loving, caring woman in the world, and you drive me absolutely mad.

"You're compassionate - what else can explain your revolting diet? You fight for your own, you stand up for yourself. Sometimes, I think you're the most infuriating bint I've ever had the misfortune to meet, but at the same time, I can't help but wonder when you're in my arms. You're the only bloody woman for me. The _only_ one. You're the only one I've ever loved, the only one I'll ever love. I don't care how much you say you've changed. That's one thing that I _know _will never change."

She had stopped moving around and was now completely still, resting her forehead against his neck as he rocked her.

"You - " she said quietly, her voice a little scratchy. "You're a _jerk_."

"Tanya - "

"No," she suddenly pushed him away and wrapped her arms around herself. "No."

"Tanya, _please_, love."

"What, you think you can spout out some pretty words and suddenly everything'll be okay? It doesn't work like that! You think I don't know about what you do to people? When I heard about Dorian, I was completely sickened. Yeah, maybe I was a little turned on too, but mostly, I just wanted to kill him! I may be a bitch, but at least I have a _heart_. You never had one, Finleigh."

"Wait a bloody minute here. That's not fair, Tanya."

"It's not - " She stopped and snapped her head in my direction.

Her scowl deepened. "Some privacy please?" she snapped.

Dorian looked over at us and seemed surprised that we were still standing there.

"Let's take this somewhere else," he grabbed onto her and suddenly, they disappeared completely.

I looked up into Edward's eyes and saw that his incredulous expression matched my own. It was shocking to see this other side of Dorian and Tanya. On a baser level, it worked. Tanya was manipulative and Dorian was evil; it was a perfect match. But on a much deeper level, listening to their reunion was almost… touching.

"And I thought love stories like that only existed onscreen," I murmured, leaning back and resting my head against his chest as he held me.

"Apparently not," he sighed into my ear, kissing my earlobe. "I love you."

I pushed him away, playfully, placing my hands on my hips. "You think you can spout some pretty words out to me and - "

"Oh, you stop it," he rolled his eyes and swiftly kissed me, shutting me up.

"Mmm," I hummed against his lips as I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing my body against his. "I hope we never get like that. I don't think I can last a hundred years without you."

He laughed lightly and nudged my nose with his. "Their situation is a little bit different from ours. And I can't last one hundred _hours _without you, let alone a hundred years."

"Oh, yeah? Well, I can't last one hundred _minutes _and - "

A familiar voice cut me off and sent chills right down my spine.

"Ugh, please stop. This is absolutely sickening."

**Author's Note:** So. How's that for a plot twist? Dorian + Tanya. That's how I planned it all along; it's going to play a major, major role in this story. I personally love them together. It's such an epic love story and you _will _see their relationship play out (partially) in this story. There are a lot of loose ends right now, and I'm thinking about having a one-shot summarizing their past or something. I'll think about it. But, their relationship is actually one of the things I'm most excited about and I really, really want to blurt out my brilliant idea, but I'm working hard to keep my mouth shut. But here's this: Remember when I said that there might be a potential sequel centering around Dorian? Well, his relationship with Tanya will be ONE of the main themes. Will they stay enemies? Will they get together? Will they be one of those "I love you but I can't have you" couples? Haha, who knows?? Well. I do, but I don't count. Anyways…

Everything's unraveling slowly… and I'm hoping that everybody's on the same page as me. Do you see Dorian's dilemma? He wants Tanya, but she's one of Carlisle's "types" of vampires. He's fighting against her… and does he really want to? It all factors in.

This chapter was full of hints and foreshadowing. I don't want to give anything away, but just pay attention to the words they say, etc. One thing to think about is Tanya's Matrix comment. If your mind thinks you're dead, do you die? Just something to think about

And no. I'm pretty sure that Keanu Reeves isn't a vampire - in our universe or the Twilight universe. I just wanted to add it in because I thought it was funny. It reminded me of this scene in Buffy when Spike is still with Harmony and she's watching _Interview with a Vampire_ and suddenly asks "Is Antonio Banderas a vampire?" and Spike's like "No, Harm" and she's like "Oh. Can we go make him a vampire?"

It was cute.

So… after that epic-long author's note… I just want to thank EVERYBODY for their support. Sorry it took so long to crank this chapter out. It was actually written in two days - but I was in NY for about a week and didn't get a chance to write.

R&R!!

(And don't you love Dorian?)

(Oh yeah, and sorry for the cliffhanger. The next chapter will be awesome  )


	22. Rebellion

**Ch. 22: Rebellion**

I gasped and looked around.

"Hello?" Darkness. "HELLO?!"

Edward grasped my hand and sighed. "It's useless," he shook his head and murmured. "We'll never find out who the mysterious voice is."

"We wont?"

"Nope. Our author has forgotten about us. We will now be forever stuck on a cliff and forever wondering who talked to us."

"Oh." I looked around and shrugged. "What do you want to do to pass the time?"

Edward grinned, "Let's make out."

And so we made out for eternity.

* * *

The end.

JUST KIDDING!!! Althought that would be nice, wouldn't it? Read on. Author's Note at the end.

* * *

**  
**

**Ch. 22: Rebellion**

_"Ugh, please stop. This is absolutely sickening."_

It was a familiar voice; female, condescending, annoyed.

Iris.

She stood next to a bored-looking Adrien, blocking our path from the cliff to the forest. Her fine, golden hair was pulled back into a loose French braid hanging down to her waist, and she was wearing a black, leather-impersonating body-suit. Shiny vinyl and spandex, more like.

I blinked at her attire and was reminded of a particular cat-woman comic I'd skimmed through at a Stop & Go once with Renee when I was younger. An amused smile tugged at the corner of my lips before I could hide it.

Iris noticed.

"_What_" she sneered, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow in my direction, "is so funny?"

Edward's fingers dug into my hips, warning me not to say anything incredibly stupid, but I was already on a roll.

"Just - " I snorted back a giggle and gestured at her ridiculous bodysuit. "I didn't know people wore things like that in real life."

Edward's body trembled slightly and I looked up into the laughing gleam of his eyes.

"Now you've done it," he whispered into my ear as Iris screeched.

"How _dare_ you, you - you ugly, disgusting, K-mart wearing, tangly-hair having, little _girl_ with no fashion sense whatsoever criticize what _I_, one of Volterra's most _refined_ socialites and Aro's right hand female, choose to wear," she hissed. Adrien placed a restraining hand on her arm as she leapt forward, pulling her back to his side.

"You're not part of the Volturi anymore," he reminded her in a low voice, sounding irritated. She snarled at him and shook him away. He shrugged and focused his blood-red gaze on us.

"We're looking for Dorian," he informed us. "Have you seen him?"

"No," Edward answered immediately. Adrien narrowed his eyes and straightened, drawing his shoulders up.

"You're absolutely certain?"

Iris snorted, "It's obvious that they're lying. The question is _why_ would they lie to us?"

I glanced at Edward again and caught his eye. He hardly flinched and squared his shoulders as Adrien slowly crept closer to us.

His thick boots crunched over the dead leaves and twigs scattered over the floor as he looked from me to Edward then back again. Edward's face slowly constricted and a little crease appeared between his eyebrows. I realized he was trying to get into Adrien's head but couldn't.

"Yeah, that's right," Adrien laughed softly, noticing as well. "No need to even try, boy. Your so-called ability can't touch me."

A low growl rumbled from Edward's throat and Adrien's laugh grew louder.

He glanced over his shoulder at Iris. "Freeze him, babe," he instructed her. A slow smile crept up her lips as she nodded and turned her attention towards Edward.

My eyes widened and before I knew it, a hacking sound emitted from Edward's throat and his eyes glazed over.

"Edward!" I breathed in and reached towards him. A cold, marble hand caught my wrist and stopped my movements

"Tsk," Adrien chuckled. "Nothing you can do to help him now … _dearest_."

I tried to yank my wrist from him, but he was too strong. "Let me go," I snarled, glaring.

"Why would I do that?" he sneered then yanked me towards him until his body was pressed intimately against mine. He lowered his lips and pressed a light kiss to the shell of my ear before whispering, "_I'm not nearly done with you, beautiful._"

I felt harsh, probing hands dig into my waist and slowly move downwards. From over his shoulder, I saw Iris's eyes narrow. The cruel smile instantly dropped to be replaced by a disgusted sneer.

"Get away from me, you sick - " his lips cut me off and I nearly threw up in his mouth. His kiss was nowhere near gentle - it was harsh and punishing. The teeth that clashed with my skin set out to draw blood and the tongue that plunged into my mouth without invitation set out to devour me from the inside out.

Without thinking, I clamped my teeth down on his tongue as hard as I could and he roared, jumping back and clutching his mouth. I spit and coughed, stumbling away from him.

"That's enough!" Iris's shrill voice pierced the ear as we both turned towards her. She lifted her finger and directed it towards my head.

A few seconds passed and nothing happened. She furrowed her forehead and bit her lip in concentration. _You can't_, I nearly laughed in her face as I slowly stood, straightening my back.

"How much longer are you going to try before you just give up?"

She threw me a furious look and lifted her upper lips in a threatening snarl. A low chuckle overlapped her growls and we both turned to see Adrien staring at me in what seemed to be … fascination.

Instinctively, I backed away.

"How… interesting," he said, slowly, leeringly, red eyes burning into mine. "Felix never mentioned this."

"Of course he wouldn't," Iris cut in, scathingly. "He's not good for anything. A useless addition to our clan. I don't know what Dorian was thinking, accepting him into our group."

"Dorian must know about her," Adrien continued, ignoring her and taking a step closer to me. "What she can do."

Iris snorted. "She's nothing special."

"She's _immune_."

"That's not enough to integrate her into the Aurileus and you know - "

"Shut up," Adrien snapped at her, annoyed. "You forget your place. _I _started the Aurileus, _I'm _our leader, _I'm_ - "

"_Dorian's_ our leader now, or have you forgotten, dear mate of mine?"

Adrien suddenly lunged for her, but before he could knock her to the ground, he froze mid-air and crashed to the ground. I stared on in shock.

"How - " I stammered, staring wide-eyed at the still vampire mangled into an unnatural position.

"He wasn't expecting me to freeze him," she answered my unvoiced question, looking smug. "He can only block what he anticipates. Handy, huh?"

I didn't reply.

"Well, seems like it's just you and me, now," she grinned, then turned her gaze to Edward's frozen form. "_Oh_." She purred. "And _him_."

I stiffened.

She glanced at me. "Your boyfriend?"

"Something like that," I nodded slightly, keeping my eyes on her.

"Well, don't mind if I … " she paused for a short moment before laughing softly, "have my _way_ with him."

"Get the hell away from him."

"Or what?" she laughed. "You'll scare me with your little immunity? Oh boo-hoo."

I saw red. I didn't even think before moving to push her away from Edward. It was as instinctive as the need to drink blood. _Get away, get away, get away._

She fell back only a yard or so before regaining her footing and slamming her elbow against my head, bringing me to the ground. I felt the earth beneath me crack slightly as I landed.

"I wouldn't try that, sweetie," she giggled. "I've got years of experience on you."

"Adrian's not going to like - "

"Oh, don't give me that," she snarled, her airiness slipping away like a veil fluttering to the ground. The look she gave me was nothing short of vicious. "He hasn't been faithful to me since the 80's."

I stared blankly and she rolled her eyes.

"These men," she drawled out, reaching out to trace the curve of Edward's stiffened cheek with a manicured finger before turning back to me. The brightness of her eyes shone against the setting sun and for a second, I saw a flash of remorse mar her face before cold indifference covered it up again. "They say they'll love you forever. They change you so you're immortal and spout poetry and useless words about love and eternity … when they only give you an eternity of _heartbreak_."

She circled Edward, running her hand along his shoulders, down his arms. I clenched my fists and slowly rose to my feet as she was talking.

"They get _bored_, you see," she went on as she breathed against the curve of Edward's collarbone and rested her head against his neck. "When you finally give them … everything, they leave you."

I saw my moment as she started playing with the buttons on his shirt.

"It always happens," she said. "They like you for a few years, then they're tired of you."

"Ever think," I responded slowly, softly, creeping forward as I went. "That once they get to know _you_, they realize they can't _stand you?_"

And with that, I rushed forward, successfully knocking her off her feet…

But only for a moment. I underestimated her reflexes and before I knew it, I was thrown back to the ground again and this time, I heard the roots in the ground shaking as a few trees surrounding the area shuddered, threatening to fall over.

Iris laughed.

"What a fool. I've lived for centuries little girl. Even if your new vampire strength makes you strong, I _live_ for fighting. You can't even begin to take me on."

I glared at her from the ground, pushing myself back up to my feet. She snorted.

"What do they see in you anyway? You're nothing special," she turned back to Edward with a calculated stare before stepping up to him and pressing her body against his. My nails dug into my palms. She giggled softly and whispered something into his ear.

"_I wonder what you could do with a real woman_," I heard her say and my mind snapped as an idea lit itself up.

_Get her off you_, I threw at Edward, hoping that I was getting somewhere with this potential "gift" that I had. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to put myself in his place, see everything from his mind.

_Get her off, throw her off_.

My head burned and I felt a deep aching sensation in my temple as I concentrated. It had to work. It _had _to, I could feel it in my gut, my heart, my essence.

And then there was a scream.

My eyelids flew up and I gasped at the scene before me. Edward was still stiff and trancelike, but his arm had suddenly reached out and grabbed Iris's swan-like throat, lifting her several feet off the ground.

"Let me go!" she screamed and choked, flailing her legs out. Edward stood, statuesque, not moving a muscle.

"Oh my … " I breathed out, surprised and elated. _It worked_. What did it mean?

What could it mean?

_I can control… the people that she freezes…_

I looked over to Adrian as Iris's shrieks escalated.

_Get up._

His hand shot forward and slowly, rigidly, his knees bent and pushed him to his feet. His body slowly turned to face me and when I looked into his eyes, blank, lifeless pupils stared back into mine.

"Iris," I called out to her. Her shrieking stopped and she glared at me while gripping at Edward's choke-hold. "Free Edward right now."

She sneered. "Why should I? I'm perfectly fine up here. I don't need to breathe, you know."

"So that's why you were screaming as if your life depended on it?"

She didn't answer.

I shrugged. "In that case…"

_Hold her over the edge of the cliff. _Edward's body swiveled and before I knew it, Iris was twisting and writhing and trying her hardest not to look down.

"How did you - Put me down!" she coughed.

"Let him go," I demanded.

"Have him put me down then I'll free him."

"Are you sure that's what you want?"

She swallowed and glared - "Have him put me down on the _ground_."

_Loosen your grip._ His fingers around her neck slackened and she dipped down, yelping in anger and shock.

"Stop!" her legs swung over the edge and her hands gripped his arm.

"Okay, okay, I'll set him - "

And Edward came to life. My chest deflated in relief when I saw his head turn to look at me in something short of amusement and somber pride. The life was back in his eyes.

"Enough of this!" a voice commanded. I froze and turned to see Adrian walking up behind me.

"Damn," I muttered to myself, "_He_ wasn't supposed to come to life, too."

Adrian smirked at me, "Surprise, surprise, honeycakes."

Edward took a few steps back and released Iris back to the ground. I hesitated for a second until his eyes met mine and he held a hand out - then the world couldn't stop me from rushing to his side.

When his arms wrapped around my body, I was suddenly home again and I realized how close I had come to losing him.

"Don't ever do that to me again," my voice came out muffled in his shirt. His deep chuckle vibrated through me as he held me tighter.

"Didn't have much say in the matter," he said softly.

"Well, isn't this tender," Iris grunted as she rose to her feet and straightened, throwing her head up high. "Moments like these are why I refuse to watch daytime TV."

"Adrian! Iris!" A familiar and not entirely unwelcome voice rang out from the forest.

All four of us turned as Dorian and Tanya emerged, both looking frustrated and flustered.

"Dorian, we were searching for you," Adrian said, stiffly, as his leader surveyed the situation.

"Yeah, we were looking all _over_," Iris cooed, prancing up to him and casting Adrian a dark look. A disgusted sneer curled up Tanya's lip as she watched the other blonde latch herself to Dorian's side.

Dorian took a step away from Iris and I saw his eyes flicker over to Tanya's retreating form as she walked away.

"Where's she going?" I asked Edward.

"Probably back to the house."

I looked back at Dorian and sighed. I was never one to get mixed up in love triangles - they were hardly fascinating and really just a mess. Personally, I liked to stay out of sticky situations, but, like all plans went, things didn't work out and here I was, in the middle of somebody else's… love diamond.

But something about Dorian's eyes lost me. What was it? Regret? Pain? It was something deep and grown of centuries worth of love and mistakes. As an observer, it was clear to me just how much he loved Tanya. I looked up at Edward and thought about what Iris had said about Adrian.

The two of them weren't even looking at each other.

As one side of his lip drew up and he gave me that crooked smile that melted me every single time, I decided that Iris was wrong. Love _could_ last forever.

"Where were you, Dor?" Adrian asked, cutting the silence. Dorian gave him an annoyed glance.

"Don't call me that. And I was busy."

He didn't elaborate and looked at us instead. His mouth opened and closed, as if he were about to say something then changed his mind. Instead, he just shook his head and said, "Two more days. We will fight in two days."

And with a swirl of wind, leaves, and thunderclouds, he was gone.

* * *

**Author's Note: ** I can't express just how sorry I am for the prolonged hiatus. Life came up - graduation, work, finals, etc. You know how it is. Over that, I've been having major writer's block. But, good news! I'm back on the horse and I've got the rest of this story planned out. Expect more Bella/Edward next chapter!

And about this chapter - I'm really not that happy with it. It's really, really broken and I feel like I've somehow lost the "Twilight touch" ... so I'm going to go back and read a few sections so the next chapter will be a lot better. But other than that - this chapter's kind of important. We learned that Bella can counteract Iris's power! Here's my reasoning: Iris freezes minds and Bella "controls" them to an extent. It's hard for Bella to control a living, thinking person's mind because free will can always argue against whatever she puts in their head, right? But with them frozen... there's no inner voice inside their head to argue against Bella so whatever Bella wants them to do... they do. Fun, huh? So yeah... tell me what you think.

And... this story won 1st place "Best WIP" and "Best General Romance" on The Twilight Awards! Thanks to everybody for voting for me!! TTA's also currently holding Fanfiction/Fanart of the Week contests, so check it out (wwwdotawardsdotvolturidotorg) Just remove the dots and replace them with periods!

Last thing... some shameless pimping. I have a personal portfolio site (wwwdotheartquasmdotorg) and for some reason, I thought it'd be cool to enter a "website" competition, so everybody go vote for me! Just go to my site and look at the side down where it says "vote" Or go to ... (wwwdotwatson-emmadotorg/awards/) and vote for me! I'm "Heartquasm HQ . ORG"

And thanks again for all the support this story's been getting. I'm dead set on completing it before Eclipse comes out, so my next update wont be as long as this one by far. Then you can go read Eclipse and compare!! Haha. R&R as always.


	23. Love

I told you I got my mojo back! Only 2 days since the last update, can you believe it?**  
**

**Warning: **This chapter get's a little "raunchy" near the end. I personally don't think it's that bad, but yeah. There's some hot and sweaty B/E action... except more cold than hot and more non-sweaty than sweaty since vampires apparently can't sweat. Haha. I don't think it's enough to be rated M, but if anybody feels uncomfortable reading something a little more intimate than what the rest of this story has been, I'd advise you to stay away from it. But there's some really heavy conversation mixed in with the intimacy that - I think - is important. So, up to you.

* * *

**Ch. 23: Rebellion**

"Well?"

Carlisle looked up at Emmett's impatient face and raised both eyebrows. "Well what? It's clear what needs to be done."

"Then we fight?"

"As planned," he nodded.

And then there was silence again. I looked around at the contemplative faces around the room. Well, not entirely contemplative. Rosalie looked bored against Emmett's blatant excitement. Tanya was staring at a spot on the wall, in a world of her own.

Her face captivated me and, although I knew I should have, I couldn't look away. If I thought she'd been beautiful before, the lost expression on her face epitomize the very _essence_ of beauty.

And I wondered why that was. Why we were always at our best when we were lost.

I forced myself to turn around and caught Jasper's eye. He gave me a slight, understanding smile.

"Well, we need a strategy!" Emmett emphasized, slamming his fist into his palm. "We need a map, a plan. For pity's sake, we need _something_."

Carlisle leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Well, five people are going to have to fight up front. That was their terms."

"Me, Edward, Jasper, you, and Tanya," Emmett counted off. "That's five."

Carlisle shook his head. "It's not that easy. Just the five of us alone are absolutely no match for the five of them. Remember, two of them are ex-Volturi, and Dorian has one of the strongest power of our kind. We'll need a better plan than that."

"The werewolves," Alice chimed in. "They said they'd help. We can use them as a backup plan."

"That's right," Rosalie nodded, looking up. "Alice, Bella, and I will wait with the werewolves - create a second front and trap them by the edge of the cliff."

"That sounds reasonable."

"What?" I became alarmed. "I _can't_ wait with the werewolves. Did you not hear what we reported? I'm the only one who can counteract Iris's power - I need to be on the field."

"No," Edward disagreed - as always. I glared at him and he offered me a slight apologetic smile. "Hear me out first, Bella. You can't be in the front line - you'll be their first target because you're what they _want_. In order for us to win, you have to be nowhere in sight."

I paused. While what he said was true, I couldn't help but feel utterly _useless_. Then an idea came to mind -

"How about I be on the sidelines then? I can hide in… a bush or something."

"You think that'd be any help at all?" he lifted an eyebrow warily. "They're master vampires; they'll sense you."

Carlisle held a hand out and interrupted. "Actually, they might _not_," he said thoughtfully. "Hopefully, they'll be too absorbed in the fight to actually notice anything… "

Edward was silent for a few seconds before letting out a heavy sigh.

"How should we do this?"

A slow, calculating smile that was so foreign to Carlisle's kind features crept over his lips as he opened his mouth and started to explain.

We were going to win.

* * *

I was settled against Alice's bedpost, buried nose-deep in an Ann Rice novel and thanking all the gods above that I couldn't blush. I never knew literary could be so erotic and soon, I found myself thinking about Edward and … 

_Bang_.

"Shit!"

My head shot up as a figure by the window let out a string of muffled curses. Slowly, I folded my page down and tossed the book on the bed as I made my way to see who the intruder was.

A familiar blonde head bobbed up and climbed through the window.

"Stupid trees," Tanya grumbled, looking thoroughly pissed off.

"Um," I tilted my head questioningly as she brushed leaves out of her long, blonde hair. "Why were you on those trees in the first place?"

She glanced at me and sneered. "What is this, the inquisition? I was out. Obviously."

"Well, sorry for being curious," I snorted, leaning back against my bedpost. "But you _did_ just climb in through the window. If it's not odd, then I don't know what is."

"What it is, is none of your business," she snapped, shaking her hair out. I blinked - it was as if she hadn't just been clambering about in the trees and had _actually_ just spent all night filming a shampoo commercial.

I rolled my eyes and reached for my book again.

There was precious silence in the room for another few minutes until Tanya let out a tiny disbelieving grunt.

"You're reading Ann Rice?"

I nodded, not bothering to look up. She didn't say anything for a brief moment.

"I never read the books," she informed me. "But I did see the movies."

I glanced up. "Which ones?"

"Oh, all of them. I think Hollywood's romanticized vision of what we are is so interesting. Very sexy."

A small, almost non-existent laugh bubbled out of my throat and I shook my head, smiling.

"What? You don't find it hot?"

My mouth opened, but I snapped it shut so I could find an adequately answer. I realized I couldn't.

"Oh, come on, you shouldn't have to think about it," she leaned forward with a wicked smile on her face. "Just imagine … the most beautiful male creature you've ever set your eyes on. Think about _Edward_."

I threw her a wry look, but she quickly flicked her wrist, rolling her eyes at me. "Seriously, do this," she demanded. "Close your eyes."

"What exactly are we doing here?" I asked, warily complying.

"We're transforming you into the sensual, erotic vampiress you are."

My eyes snapped open.

"We're _what?_"

She grinned, "You heard me. Rosalie and Alice told me that you and Edward haven't _consummated _- "

"Rosalie and Alice should mind their own business," I grumbled.

She ignored me " - or done much of anything yet, and seeing you here with some _Ann Rice_ book makes me want to fix that problem. Because if I were you, I would've jumped that boy in the matter of seconds."

When I narrowed my eyes at her, she groaned melodramatically.

"Not that I _would_," she amended. "I've got Fin - " she abruptly stop talking.

From my vantage point, I almost thought she had started crying until I remembered what she was. It was physically _impossible_ for her to cry. And suddenly, I knew what she was feeling.

Knew how she was feeling in the very minuscule, barely-existent extent. I thought about Edward - about that rocky timeframe that now seemed like so long ago, yet was only a few days ago. We had been so close, yet so far, and it tore my heart out.

I couldn't even _begin_ to wonder what was going on through her heart.

"Just - " she breathed in and closed her eyes. "Just remember that he…" and then she gave up.

Her hands clutched her eyes and her entire body was suddenly trembling and I was so lost. I didn't know what to do.

So, I did the only thing I could - I inched over to where she was slumped against the wall and wrapped my arm around her strong, hunched shoulders.

"It's okay," I murmured pathetically, knowing that it wasn't.

"Oh god," she sobbed. No tears trickled down her cheeks and no redness appeared on her skin - and it only made everything more heart wrenching than it already was.

"Shh," I tried to soothe.

"I love him," she choked. "I love him. I never stopped… all those years. And tomorrow… tomorrow night, I have to … I have to -to _fight_ him and - God, no! Please, no."

"You don't _have _to - "

"Yes, … yes I do! Finleigh… _Dorian_. You don't know what he's done to people, innocent girls, children. He's - he's so evil and I _love_ him. I'm _disgusting_. A creature like him can't even know what love is and he needs to be destroyed and I just - I just can't help... But… damn it, I love him so much. How can I do this? I'm not strong enough…"

And suddenly, I felt like the most selfish person in the world. Here was this girl - this strong woman - who's been through _so_ much, more than me, more than so many people, and all I'd been worried about was an _argument_ between Edward and I.

What choice would I make? If I ever had to kill Edward for the good of mankind and happiness and bells and Christmas - could I do it? I decided not to think about it.

What could I say to her? There are other fishes in the sea? _Not likely_. I held her tighter and patted her shoulder, trying to calm her down.

* * *

Esme had walked into Alice's room and rushed to the quivering Tanya. In many ways, I was relieved. If anybody could comfort her, it would be Esme and her mothering ways. 

I, on the other hand, had something else to attend to.

The old house creaked slightly under my weight and I winced, cursing the fact that some of my clumsiness seemed to seep into whatever new vampire-like grace I might've picked up.

I heard the faint trickle of a classical melody filter through Edward's closed door and stopped, placing a hand against the door stand. My head fell forward gently to rest against the wood as I closed my eyes and listened. Other than the music playing in his stereo, there was absolute silence. No breathing, no heart beating, no nothing. And yet I could feel his presence.

What would I do without him?

_Die_.

A slow scratching noise reached my ears and I smiled. He was writing. From behind my eyelids, I made out his angular profile, forehead slightly bunched up, straight nose, strong chin, curved back. Beautifully molded, pale hands around a fountain pen, creating intricate curls around the cursive letters.

His bronze hair would be slightly mussed up, his eyes smoldering. All of that beauty, that body, that _man_. And he was all mine.

So why wasn't I with him right now?

In less than twenty-four hours, we would be in the middle of the most important fight of our lives. The ultimate showdown between what is evil and what is good - the last stand between a vampire's animalism and human's compassion.

And if all were lost, there would be nothing left. Not of Forks, not of the Cullens…

I could almost feel my still heart pounding and suddenly felt the strangest urge to take a breath.

What a human thing. To breathe and take in that oxygen that kept the blood flowing through their veins and kept a simple, weak body alive.

What a human thing, to feel love.

My hand reached out and grasped the bronze doorknob. I counted to three before I twisted it and quietly slipped into Edward's room.

He looked up from the sheet of old parchment he'd been writing on and once again, I was taken aback by the sheer force of those dark, amber eyes.

"Bella?" his lip curved up slightly but his eyes remained serious. "What are you doing here?"

_What was I doing there?_ I fought for an answer.

"I - I wanted to see you," I finally responded, breathless.

He studied me carefully and I could feel a blissful warmth shudder through my body.

"You're upset," he noted and I frowned. Before I could dispute him, he silenced me. "I can tell, Bella. And I also have magnificent hearing. I heard you talking to Tanya earlier."

And of course, the indignant fury replaced my earlier awe of him.

"That wasn't for you to hear, you know," I glared. He seemed surprised.

"It wasn't?"

"No," I repeated. "Girl talk isn't for men to listen in on. Really, don't you know this by now?"

He smirked. "No, I don't. But I know you didn't come all the way here to talk to me about the do's and don'ts of _girl talk_."

His eyes smoldered me and I fought for the remaining shards of my dignity before I had to resort to falling into his arms. I wanted to, _so badly_.

"It's hardly '_all the way_'," I swallowed. "Just a few steps down a hallway."

Suddenly, he was standing and slowly moving towards me. His gaze darkened and his steps were predator-like. I suddenly forgot how to breathe. Suddenly forgot that I didn't _need _to breathe.

And then he was too close. I backed up, not able to look away from the intensity of his eyes.

"Edward - " I breathed out, closing my eyes for a moment as my back hit the wall behind me. He was inches from me and I could almost feel something akin to warmth seeping from his body, which was -

"Impossible," he whispered, amusement gleaming from his eyes and his impossible smirk.

"What?"

"You were projecting," he laughed softly and I could feel the slow vibrations through the air. "Unconscious responsibility of your new power, I presume. You'll have to control that, Bella. You might give a man ideas…"

His forehead pressed against mine and I lifted my face up, seeking more. I was on fire and he hadn't even touched me. I searched his eyes, trying to gauge what he was thinking.

"Am I giving you ideas?" I asked softly, breathily. I watched, fascinated, as his eyelids fluttered shut.

"Bella," his voice sounded slightly strangled. "If you're going to start something then back away - I'm not sure if I'll be able to stop and…"

I reached up to touch his face, but his hand shot up to stop mine.

"Don't," he shook his head. "If you're not ready, I'm not in any sort of condition to - "

"Shh," I silenced him, moving my hand forward and tracing the sharp curve of his cheekbone. His eyes were hard; intense and probing. My finger moved across his jawbone and his chin, then moved up to outline his lips, which parted immediately.

"Bella - " he whispered as my other hand wove around his neck and pulled his body against mine. "What are you doing?"

I couldn't answer him. We both knew what I was doing. The question behind his question was: _Are we ready?_

And I couldn't answer that, either. I had no way of telling if I was ready or not. I wasn't sure if my heart could take it, or if I was mentally ready to give everything to him, even though I knew I loved him more than life itself. What I did know was what my body was telling me though. And _it_… _it _was more than ready.

My lips were suddenly dry as I opened my mouth to speak.

"Do you love me, Edward?" the question came out weakly, barely a whisper. His eyes widened, surprised.

"Bella, what kind of question is that?" his voice hardened slightly, as if affronted. "You _know_ I love you - "

"Would you love me enough to kill me?"

He was rendered speechless and I could see the confusion written plainly across his face.

I smoothed out the wrinkles in his forehead with my fingers.

"What I meant was," I started, slowly, "If a time came when … you would have to kill me. If I became… _evil_ or like Dorian. Would you love me enough to kill me?"

"I'd love you enough to fight for you," he said, fiercely. "I would _never _kill you. _Never._ I would - "

My fingers skimmed across the surface of his soft lips, silencing him. The reality of the cruel world, full of twists and turns and hordes of people, _creatures_, set against us solidified until it was almost tangible and the time that once felt like eternity seemed like mere seconds… and suddenly that was not enough.

I pulled his head down to mine and paused millimeters short of his lips, swallowing deeply as I closed my eyes, trying to narrow in my senses. I felt the cool sweetness and burning ferocity of his breath against my mouth and pressed the side of my nose against his.

"Promise me that you will," I whispered to him, letting my fingers slowly curve the shell of his ears and grasp the side of his neck, his cheeks.

He kissed me instead, kissed the plea right from my lips, kissed me until all there was, was him and me and his lips against mine. There was no time, no evil, no circumstances, no _world_ that could come between his soul and mine.

The tension in my heart fell apart, overwhelmed as I pulled him closer.

There was no more time for questions and doubts, because if we waited, there might never be another time. It was a silent agreement and as he backed me toward his sofa, the cold blood swirled through my veins, contracting and constricting in anticipation.

The back of my knees hit the edge of the leather sofa and he followed as I fell back.

"I promise you," he gasped between kisses as his hand traveled down my torso, "I promise you that I'll love you forever."

Then his lips trailed across my chin, my jaw, my throat.

"That's good enough for me," I could barely make out what I was saying, the need for him was so heavy. I couldn't stop touching him, alternating short caresses over his perfect face, running my fingers through his soft, silky hair, examining the crevices of his muscled back.

The layers of clothing between us were suddenly too much and he apparently thought so too, because soon, his hands were pressing against my skin, pulling at my shirt. I arched my back and lifted up my hands, helping him as he slipped off the shirt and flung it somewhere in the wall.

His lips met mine again; hard, fast kisses melted into slow, deep ones and I pulled him as close as he could possibly get. His cold hands burnt my skin as they trailed down my stomach and back up again, danced across my rib cage, cupped my breasts. He swore softly as he fumbled with the bra clasp and I reached back to undo it for him.

Embarrassment flooded over my face once I was uncovered; he stared at me, unabashed. I had never felt more exposed in my life and fought the urge to shield myself from him.

"Please don't," he whispered, holding my arms back with his hands. His kiss was gentle, questioning, and when I moaned, I felt his lips curve into a soft smile against my own. The kisses started venturing southward; chin, throat, throat, throat, collarbone, collarbone, shoulder. His fingers carefully traced the side of my breast, unsure of whether or not propriety should come into play or whether passion would surpass it.

The answer was inevitable. There was too much at play for caution to restrain us and when his head dipped down, I couldn't stop the gasp from leaving my throat. His tongue was hot against my cold skin, yet so cold that it froze me and all I could do was black my vision and revel in the pleasure.

My fingers tugged at the back of his loose shirt.

"Why are you still wearing that?" I managed to complain and he chuckled as he nudged me with his nose. I glared, frustrated, and touched the collar of his shirt. With one, neat rip, it was thrown off his body, buttons clicking and clacking against the hardwood floor.

"Impatient, are we?" he teased me, but all I could do was stare. It wasn't something I hadn't seen before - his body, but never did I _want _it against mine as I did right now.

"I have to be impatient," I swallowed, rolling my eyes to the top of my head as his mouth found a breast and his tongue swirled around a nipple. "There's never enough time."

His fingers made quick work of my jeans.

"There's always going to be _something_," I hissed as his hands kneaded my inner thighs, pulling them apart.

"No matter what happens," he said, breathing heavily, "there's always going to be _us_."

Even he couldn't fight the instinct to breathe in and out in a time like this and it made him seem more human than he'd ever seem before.

"You can't know that," I felt like sobbing as I clung to him. His bare chest pressed against mine and for the longest time, we stayed like that, skin against skin, still heart beating against still heart.

"Yes, I do," he said, his dark voice scratchy and hoarse, velvet marred with hard rocks.

"How?" I asked as my hands slid between our bodies and undid his belt buckle.

There was a short pause as he stared straight into my eyes, then gave me a small, crooked smile.

"Because you're Bella and I'm Edward," he told me and I nearly cried. He brushed a loose strand of hair from my face as he continued to smile softly. "Because I love you more than life itself, more than the night, the sun, the sky, the need to drink blood and live. Because no matter what, nothing can break us apart. We're written in the stars, Bella. Look at them."

I almost peered over his shoulder and out the window, but his eyes were gleaming in the moonlight and those were the only stars I needed. I held his face in my hands and leaned my forehead against his.

"Okay," I whispered and nodded, taking in a shaky breath. He took me in his arms, took me in his heart, and took me with him as we traveled through a galaxy of stars to a heaven where there was only him and me and breathing and love.

Where there would _always_ be love.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So there it is. If I'm not crazy, there's only a few more chapters left to this story. Perhaps only one really long one and an epilogue or two medium ones and an epilogue. I'm very excited about the ending because I don't think it's going to be anything anybody suspects. Hopefully not, anyways. 

About this chapter. The 2nd part with Tanya - it took so much to _not_ write more about Tanya/Dorian since I'm half in love with their relationship. I'm even thinking about writing another story just about the two of them, but that will probably forever be an "idea" in my idea queue.

The "intimate" scene was... hm. It was hard to write. Not because it's hard to write an intimate scene, but because it's hard to write one between Edward & Bella. Buffy & Spike? No problem, it pretty much goes with the whole character. But Edward and Bella have always been so... pristine that it was difficult to write something where they're the opposite of pristine, but still... pure and special in that B/E way. To tell you the truth, the conversation between them was something that I imagined between Tanya and Dorian, but I thought it worked rather well for the two of them instead. I don't know. It was supposed to portray the sense of urgency - because after their moment together, everything about their future is uncertain. They don't know whether they're going to live or die or make it through the fight.

Hopefully, I did it justice.

And I just realized I received 82 reviews for Ch. 21!! That's incredible! Wow guys. Thanks

Next chapter shouldn't take very long. Maybe a little longer than this one, but no longer than a week. R&R!!


	24. Time

**Ch. 24: Time**

The hazy rays of the morning sunrise filtered through the wispy curtains and cast fluttery shadows entwined with pale sparkles across our skin as we lay next to each other on his couch.

For once, I had been able to stay awake with him through the night and watch him just as he'd always watched me all those nights in Charlie's house. It was something I could spend forever doing.

Our first time had been nothing like I'd expected. There was no pain, only euphoria, no awkward movements, only love. I almost wished I could snatch the moment back and go through it over and over again.

When we had fallen apart, all we could do was lay there and stare at each other. His eyes never left mine, even when I reached for an afghan to cover myself with. He had stopped me with a gentle kiss and trailed his index finger over my face as if memorizing it all over again.

Our words were simple. Short sentences and whispered promises, sweet plans for the future.

Now, his ocher eyes were smiling. Simultaneously, a smug, satisfied smile arched across his perfect, soft lips. I reached towards him and traced the corner of his mouth.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked, my voice slightly hoarse.

He didn't say anything at first, just held my gaze and, once in a while, let his eyes roam my face. Then, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine in a soft, lingering kiss.

It was almost chaste, until I buried my hands in his hair and pressed him closer, opening my mouth to his sweet essence.

"Remember …," he asked, pulling back a millimeter or so and searching my eyes, "Do you remember the time when I was afraid to kiss you?"

I smiled. "Yes," I answered him, touching his cheek gently with one light finger, letting my nose gently nudge his. "It was the most frustrating thing, wanting you so badly only to have you pull away _every single time_."

"Mm, yes," he chuckled, brushing his lips over mine again. "Well, you weren't the only frustrated party there. I thought about not stopping so many times."

"Really?"

He nodded, his small smile turning into a full fledged grin as I kissed him.

"So how does it feel?" I asked him, shifting over until he was on his back and my chin was resting on his chest.

"Not having to stop?"

"Yeah."

I kissed his chest lightly and crawled up slowly until my face was hovering above his, my hair creating a thick, dark curtain around our heads.

He laughed and I felt the thick vibrations in his chest thrum against me.

"Better," he sighed, pulling me down to meet him for a long, deep kiss that ended all further conversation as he suddenly flipped me over and positioned himself between my legs.

I hissed in absolute bliss as I let the dream start all over again.

* * *

"How long do we have?"

My voice was hardly above a whisper, my breath was short. My eyelids were squeezed shut and all I could see was the mysterious dark.

His body was pressed against mine, his hands grasping at my hips, his mouth seeking my lips.

"Don't know," he replied, his own voice hoarse and urgent. "Don't care. Want you now."

* * *

The sun was higher now, streaming bright sunshine through the thin curtains. We'd shifted to the middle of his room, wrapped around in a duvet we'd found in his closet. I sighed, stretching myself out and arching my back. My muscles sighed in content.

A low, hungry growl sounded from somewhere next to me and I turned to see Edward eyeing certain assets out in display.

"Already?" I rolled away as he made a grab for me. "How many times has it been? Seven?"

"Eight," he corrected with a smirk, wrapping a lean arm around my waist and pressing a kiss on my shoulder.

"You're not tired?"

"Not a bit," he murmured between kisses. "Forgive me, but I've gone over a century without knowing this sort of paradise and now that I've finally found out what all the fuss was about, I don't think I ever want to stop."

I laughed and hooked my arms around his neck.

"That's good," I said as I kissed him back. "Because I'm nowhere _near _tired."

* * *

"You're amazing," he mumbled against my skin, his chilly breath sending shivers down my spine.

"Compared to who?" I asked, tracing words and symbols across his chest as we lay there on the hardwood floor, utterly exhausted.

He glanced down at me and widened his eyes slightly when I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're the only one, Bella," he said carefully, realizing that he was treading on dangerous waters, and I laughed lightly. Nothing could kill my good mood.

"I know," I sighed contentedly and snuggled closer. "For the record, you're not so bad yourself."

I suddenly found myself pinned down to the floor with a virile Edward hovering inches above me.

"Not so bad?" he grinned, his light eyes glittering.

"You know," I prodded him on, leaning up on my elbows as I stared him down. "Compared to the endless - "

He shut me up with a kiss and I laughed against his lips.

* * *

The cold ache in my stomach started when I turned to look at his profile as he stared at the ceiling with a permanent smile on his lips. The clock at the far end of the room read 3:04 and in less than three hours, he would be standing in the middle of the field, facing five vampires intent on destroying him.

_Don't worry_, I tried to tell myself. _He wont be alone._

But the horrible throbbing wouldn't subside, no matter how much I tried to push it away.

I anxiously smiled when he turned to face me, trying to hide all traces of the thoughts running through my mind, but he must've caught a hint of the longing in my eyes because his forehead furrowed and he reached over to brush some errant strands of hair away from my face.

"What's the matter?" he asked, softly, his eyes searching my features.

I reached up to touch his hand and pressed his palm flat against my cheek.

"I love you," I forced out, not answering his question.

A happy, contented smile replaced the worried look and he brushed his thumbs over my cheekbones.

He didn't say anything, just moved his shining orbs over my face, lightly outlining the slowly darkening shadows under my eyes. I glanced down briefly, holding my left hand up, watching as the topaz shone glittered in the light.

I moved the hand so that my ring was right next to Edward's matching eyes. Without a word, we both moved closer to each other at the same time, our lips meeting, arms entangling, legs entwining.

Something was different about this time. Something different from the initial urgency, then the playful moments. Something so deep that we were both rendered speechless as I raked my nails down the rippling muscles of his abdomen, took him in my hands, leaned closer.

Something so beautiful as his eyes closed and his neck strained, hitting the floor as he rolled to his back.

When we met this time, we were desperate. It was no longer about a euphoric rhythm or a coming together of two bodies. It was something raw, carnal, and so instinctive of the creatures we were that all I could do was blank out all other senses and focus on the feel of him under me, filling me, the smell of his sweet, sweat-less body, the sounds of low growls and deep moans, the sight of his face in rapture, the taste of his tongue, his mouth, his crystal skin.

There was no music, no rhythm, no time.

No softly spoken words or whispered names.

I barely felt the impact of the hardwood against my shoulder blades as he switched our positions and brought us to completion.

We were laid out bare for the world, sacrifices in the afternoon sun. And when he collapsed on top of me and I came back to the cold, dark earth after a rendezvous in heaven, we curled against each other and closed our eyes. The silence of our bodies lulled us to a place where there was no sleep, only calm.

* * *

Before we knew it, there were three sharp raps on the door.

"Meeting downstairs in three minutes!" Alice's voice sang through the doorway.

I sighed and half-heartedly listened to her light steps as she danced down the hall and proceeded to knock on what was probably Rosalie's door.

Edward looked at me and grinned.

"It really happened, didn't it?" he asked softly, his voice almost as light as Alice's, lined with velvet and silk and something irresistibly alluring.

"I think it did," I whispered back, clinging onto his hand and squeezing it for all it was worth.

He paused for a moment, then hesitantly asked, "Did you regret it?"

_Regret it?_

My instinctive reply was _no_. And yet, I stopped to think. Did I really regret it? I'd never paid much mind to _it_ until Edward stepped into my life and even then…

"No," I answered truthfully. He seemed relieved as he looked back up to the ceiling.

Suddenly, he frowned and turned back to me.

"Everybody knows," he muttered, seeming perturbed but not entirely annoyed.

I felt like blushing when I realized what he meant. _Everybody knows!_ I buried my face in my hands, horrified.

"How?" I asked, but as soon as the syllable left my mouth, I knew the answer.

Edward gave me a pointed look and I groaned, pressing the heel of my hands into my eyes.

"We weren't exactly _quiet_," he replied, laughing. "And then there's Alice. Who knows what rubbish she fed them all."

"Please don't remind me."

"It's really nothing to be embarrassed about," he pulled my hands away from my eyes and peered down at me before smirking, "Rosalie and Emmett go at it all the time. Sometimes, it gets so noisy we all have to go on an outing to get away from the _sounds_."

I wrenched my hands out of his grasp to cover my ears.

"Too much information," I grumbled, glaring at him.

"And don't get me started on Alice and Jasper," he teased. I made a face and moved to roll away, but he trapped me with his arms.

When he opened his mouth again, I interrupted him.

"If you say anything about their sex lives or even so much as _mention_ Carlisle and Esme, I'm canceling our engagement," I threatened. His mouth instantly snapped shut, but the amused gleam didn't leave his eyes.

"Well, that would be unacceptable, wouldn't it?" he smiled and leaned down to gently press his lips to mine.

What started out as a chaste kiss quickly became suddenly more, until -

"If you two aren't out of there in one minute, _exact_, I'm going to tell everybody what Edward's face looks like when he …"

"We're coming!" Edward growled, lifting his head up and glaring at the closed door.

"Better not be," she giggled suggestively before sauntering off.

Edward groaned and ducked his head down, resting his forehead on my shoulder.

"When this is all over," he said, his voice muffled against my skin, "I plan to haul you into this room and not leave for a year. This, I promise you."

He pushed himself up and stretched. I bit my lip, trying not to look at his muscled body as he moved about the room, picking up various items of clothing.

I wrapped the duvet around myself as I looked around for my clothing.

"I don't think this is reparable," I heard Edward mutter as he picked up the remains of his button-down shirt, scrutinizing it with squinted eyes.

I stifled my laughter and shook my head.

* * *

When Edward and I walked into the living room hand in hand, we were greeted by low whistles and a vulgar catcall from Emmett. I ducked my head, wishing I could disappear on the spot.

"About time, man," Emmett laughed at our expense, leaping to his feet and punching Edward good-naturedly on the shoulder. Edward scowled.

"Leave them alone, Em," Rosalie chided, rolling her eyes and dragging Emmett back down on the sofa.

"What?" Emmett asked, looking somewhat confused, "It's a big deal! He just lost his virgini-"

Rosalie clamped a hand over his mouth, muffling the rest of his words.

"Sorry," she gave me a sheepish smile and jabbed her husband in the ribs.

A silky laugh turned my head and I saw Tanya leaning against the wall, eyeing me and Edward with a raised eyebrow.

"Better than Ann Rice?" she asked in a smooth, knowing voice.

Alice and Rosalie grinned along with her as everybody turned towards me.

"Oh Gods," I groaned, spinning around and pressing my face against Edward's chest.

It was nearly 5:30pm and the air was sizzling with energy. The tension and the impending sense of danger loomed ahead, sugarcoated by laughs and thinly veiled jokes.

The lines in everybody's faces were evidence - the subtle dull eyes, the set jaw concealed with a wide smile. The spring in Alice's steps were nonexistent, though she held herself in the same light and airy way, dancing gracefully across the room and dropping down next to Jasper, who turned his head to whisper something in her ear.

Rosalie's hand stayed in Emmett's and once in a while, they would look at each other and smile adoringly.

When Carlisle stepped into the room, we all fell silent, waiting apprehensively.

"Well," he cleared his throat, giving us a reassuring smile. "I contacted Sam and they're already assembling. They're expecting Rosalie and Alice to meet them at their territory in about fifteen minutes."

He paused to look at them.

"You know the rules," he asked slowly.

"Yes," they both nodded, serious expressions frozen on their faces. Rosalie couldn't mask the disdain in her eyes at the thought of waiting with werewolves. It looked almost as if she could already sniff out their bitter scent and it didn't please her.

Carlisle turned to me.

"Jacob will be here shortly to wait with you and Esme," he repeated the plans we made just a few days ago. "He will know when the fight has started and _only then_ will you join us. Remember, if _any one of them_ senses your presence…"

"I understand," I interrupted him with a soft, steady voice. My stomach churned and Edward's hand tightened around mine.

Carlisle held my gaze for a moment before slowly nodding. I had never seen him look so tired.

"Well," he kept nodding, briefly meeting the eyes of everybody in the somber room. "The rest of us know what to do, I suppose."

"We'll kick some butt, huh?" Emmett joked, but the strain was evident in his throaty voice. There was a tiny wave of scattered laughter in the room before silence overtook us again.

I focused on the cold, marbled fingers interlocked with mine, the pad of the thumb rubbing across my skin in soothing circles.

_Oh Edward._

_I can't lose you._

* * *

It was too soon.

Too sudden.

Alice was gripping Jasper's hand like a lifeline and Rosalie's lips were locked against Emmett desperately, as if it were the last time they would ever see one another. Carlisle and Esme had retreated to their room as Tanya stood listlessly at the edge of the porch, staring out into the rapidly setting sun.

I looked back at Edward and swallowed, trying to stop the humming of adrenaline. Or was it even that? I had no live heart yet it felt as if it had never beat faster.

"Please be careful," I choked out, scrunching the edge of his shirt in my fists.

"Don't worry about me," he held my shoulders, leaning back so he could look at me. "I'll be fine."

Emmett pushed away from Rosalie and disappeared out of the door, not saying a word. Rosalie staggered backwards, pressing her hands to her lips as if she were about to cry. Jasper was walking backwards, trying to loosen Alice's vice-like hold on his hand as she kept shaking her head.

They were already out into the open and I knew that Edward would be with them soon.

"I love you," I told him as he started removing my hands from his shirt.

"I love you so much," I repeated franticly, letting go of the material and jerking his head down to mine.

He didn't respond to the kiss at first, but slowly, I felt his lips move. One kiss, two kisses, he pushed me back.

"Don't say it like that," he said harshly, sending me a fierce look. "Say it when I get back."

Then he was out the door.

Tanya glanced back at the three of us standing in the parlor and gave us a rueful laugh.

"That was pathetic," she snorted.

Rosalie raised her head and glared.

"Save it, bitch," she snarled at the other blonde. Tanya gave her a short salute and a condescending sneer.

"Whatever, whore."

And they both smiled as Tanya started walking away.

I couldn't pay attention to anything else as I saw Edward's tall, lean form moving away, wondering why I felt as if a piece of my heart had just been ruthlessly hacked at. I contemplated the empty feeling inside and grasped at something, _anything_, to fill up the gaping hole.

Suddenly he turned around.

"Bella!" he called, his voice echoing across the football field between us.

I stepped forward, eager to hear him one last time.

"Be safe," he instructed, then turned around and started running.

_Don't cry, don't break down, stay strong,_ I repeated to myself again and again.

The hazy orange of the sunset washed over me and I never felt colder. My back fell against the doorway and I slid down to the floor.

_Keep him safe_, I prayed to every single god in existence. _Please keep him safe._

* * *

**Author's Note:** That took longer than expected - sorry. I'm almost scared to write the next chapter 


	25. The Last Stance

**Ch. 24: The Last Stance **

A low, familiar voice broke me out of my trance.

"You really love him, don't you."

His slightly bitter scent drifted to my nose and I inhaled deeply. My eyes cracked open and I realized that I hadn't moved from my collapsed position on the front porch. The orange clouds had deepened slightly, nearly red…

"Jacob," I sighed, slowly rising to my feet.

"The one and only," he grinned tiredly, carelessly lifting his hands up in greeting. I squinted at his silhouette, hazy against the darkening sky.

"Before you know it, you're going to be twice my size," I noted, trying pathetically to smile as I looked up at him. He had gotten tanner, his dark hair was longer than ever and the warmth glowing from his body seemed to reach out and touch me.

"Yeah," he nodded, serious. "You must be shrinking."

I tried to laugh at his joke, but found myself incapable.

"Sorry," he shrugged apologetically. "Bad time for a lame joke, huh?"

A wry smile reached my lips and I stepped aside so he could walk through the door.

As I closed the door behind him, I caught the little wrinkle in his nose as he shivered his displeasure. His shoulders visibly stiffened as he looked around the parlor.

"I feel like I can get a cavity just by _breathing_ in this house," he commented. "It smells so… sickly sweet. Can't be good for my health."

His eyes slid to the side to meet mine and the corner of his lip rose in an affectionate sneer.

I shoved him.

"Don't let me get started on the way _you _smell."

"Say whatever you want, B-"

He cut himself off when he saw Alice watching the two of us with a raised eyebrow.

"We should probably get going," he said instead, eyeing her suspiciously. Alice's chin lifted and her lips flattened into a tense line. His eyebrow rose as he turned to me, "Why do I get the distinct feeling that the bloodsucker doesn't welcome me…"

"Guys," I looked from Jacob to Alice, warily. "We're all friends here, remember?"

"Hardly," Rosalie's voice drifted down from the top of the stairs. She glided down to join us, giving Jacob a disgusted look that matched Alice's. "We're temporarily on the same team, working together to fight a common enemy. Friends? I think not."

With that, she breezily walked past us and headed out the door.

Alice stared at Jacob for another long moment before glancing at me and giving me an apologetic smile.

"You know she's right," she shrugged, then looked back at Jacob, "No offense."

"None taken," he rolled his eyes before straightening. "Sam and the pack are by the cliff. They're expecting you."

She nodded and was gone, following Rosalie out into the deadly night that was almost upon us.

I stared at her rapidly vanishing figure and swallowed, thickly.

"Ready?" Jake's voice was gentle and he tenderly pressed a large hand to the small of my back.

I nodded. "Just let me get Esme."

"I'll wait here."

* * *

I found Esme in the room she shared with Carlisle, sitting in a chair and staring out the window. The dimming light cast shadows across her pale skin and her usually kind and smiling face seemed forlorn. Her lips were moving rapidly, soundlessly.

In her hands, she clutched a long chain with a gold-rimmed cross dangling down. Her knuckles shook.

"It's time," I spoke softly and listened to the quiver in my own voice.

For a split second, it seemed as if she hadn't heard me. Then suddenly, she was the Esme I was accustom to.

"Time to go, then?" her smile was back and her amber eyes were soft as they settled upon me.

"Jacob's downstairs," I told her.

"Then we shouldn't keep him waiting."

Swiftly, she stood and set the chain and cross she was holding on the windowsill.

* * *

The moment we stepped foot into the forest, it became clear that a battle was brewing. The ground vibrated excitedly, thrumming with the tension and the power exuded from ten full-grown vampires in such close proximity with each other. I felt it through my body, current after current of pure _power_. It was like an adrenaline rush.

The tallest branches of the tallest trees waved back and forth violently, a warning _Do Not Enter._ There would be no mortals in the forests tonight.

There were no sounds - no crickets, birds, squirrels leaping between bushes and trees. The bears and lions and foxes and deer had all gone hiding.

Jake had already transformed and was running beside me and Esme on all fours, silently, swiftly.

A full breeze blew my hair back and I nearly sighed, relieved. Fortune was with us - the wind was blowing my scent away from the fight.

Thunder was suddenly rumbling from overhead and as a streak of lightening viciously lit the sky and struck down a distant tree, I realized that we had stumbled upon the fight. Or the beginning of the fight.

The weather forecast had predicted clear nights. Dorian's power seeped through my mind, darkening the night sky. The moon had disappeared and along with it, the stars. Winds howled and thick branches from tall trees tumbled to the ground with ear-shattering crashes.

Suddenly, I felt Jacob slow down beside me. We were getting close. I could tell by the way he thrust his nose in the air, sniffing, by the way his ears perked straight up, alert, the way his tail tensed up behind him.

He glanced at me with dark eyes that only I could see. In the shining orbs, there was excited anticipation, but at the same time, there was a message meant for me and me alone.

_Be careful._

Edward's voice echoed in my mind.

_Be safe._

I swallowed and looked away. _I'll try_, I tried to tell them, knowing that neither of them could hear me.

"We're here," a deep voice suddenly whispered in my ear and I nearly jumped. Jacob had transformed again and was crouching low to the ground.

Esme and I followed his suit, kneeling behind a rather tall bush. The clearing was about fifty or so meters away. I pushed some leaves aside and felt a rush of relief pour through my body as I made out Edward's rigid form standing next to Jasper's.

They were all there, standing firm and together. Tanya's golden hair blew in the wind and I saw her lift her chin proudly as Dorian gazed at her.

The battle hadn't started yet. Not really. It seemed as if nobody had moved a muscle - a clear line of separation still divided them.

Leaves rustled beside me and I turned to see Jacob leaning forward. My eyes accidentally wandered a little too far south and received a shock when I realized that he hadn't thought to bring extra clothing along with him for his change…

I nearly blushed - if this were a month ago, I would've been beet red - and almost snapped my neck as I looked away.

"What's the matter?" he asked, his mouth too close to my ear for comfort.

"Nothing," I hissed back. He must've realized what was bothering me; I heard a low chuckle from him and felt him shift so he was more covered. I rolled my eyes.

Dorian's voice rang out in the darkness.

"So you will not give us the girl?"

Carlisle's voice was grave: "We will not."

"Very well."

I could almost here the slow smile in Dorian's voice and shuddered involuntarily.

"There is only one rule," he said, his velvety voice thick and ringing. "As to leave out ambiguity, there will be only one outcome to this battle… the last one standing wins."

"Then you want to fight to the death," Carlisle's voice was deceptively calm.

"Correct."

"Then what are we standing around for?"

With that, an uncharacteristically feral roar escaped Carlisle's throat and with one fluid, graceful motion, he leapt at Dorian.

Lightning cackled and then everybody was a blur. Dorian had rolled to the side and snarled, viciously. Felix lunged at Jasper, throwing him to the ground so powerfully that the earth shook. Tanya and Victoria were hissing and circling and Emmett had charged at Iris.

But the only figure my eyes were tracking was Edward's lithe form, running towards Adrien. His movements were smoother than a cat's, his growl was low, his eyes sharp and narrowed. Adrien swung his arm out and Edward bent low, hitting him in the stomach with his shoulder, flinging him against a tree near the side of the clearing.

Adrien's shocked yelp lasted for less than a second before he pushed Edward off and rolled to his feet.

"Bella!" Esme hissed at me, snapping my attention away from my other half. "Emmett! Look at Emmett!"

My gaze shifted and I gaped in horror as Iris froze him. He was in a mid-air attack when she struck and his entire body had iced over. Time seemed to stop completely as his body hovered for one millionth of a second and dropped to the ground heavily.

My mind blanked.

Was I supposed to do something? What was it?

Panic overtook me until Esme pinched my upper arm.

"Use your ability, _Bella_, please!"

My mind snapped back to focus. Right. My ability - my ability that was so untried that I had no trust in at all. That ability.

Iris took a step back and I saw the wicked, giddy smile on her face as she took a moment to inspect her work.

_Focus._

_Emmett, stand up._

His body was suddenly stirring and before Iris could turn around to find somebody else to attack, he was on his feet.

_Charge her_.

She didn't know what hit her.

_Pin her_.

Emmett's robotic arms were pushing Iris's shoulders deeper and deeper into the ground. Her screams overtook the meadow.

It was only then when I dared to look away.

Tanya's teeth gleamed as she hissed at Victoria. Then there was a blur of blonde and red as the two ran at each other at full speed.

Just two meters away, Edward pulled back his fist and punched Adrien across the cheek with enough force to breath through a wall.

Victoria screamed as Tanya sank her sharp teeth into her shoulder. The redhead brought her knee up into Tanya's gut until she fell over backwards.

Adrien bounded back up from his position on the floor and head-butted Edward's side. They stumbled down and this time, it was Adrien who got the upper hand.

Tanya struggled against Victoria's choke hold around her neck.

Edward jerked back, but Adrien kicked his side, sending him flying across half the clearing and skidding against a boulder.

Tanya punched Victoria off, then sneered, "Can't kill me that way. Forget that I don't need to breathe?" before grabbing a fistful of red hair and yanking so hard to the side that there was a loud snapping sound that overpowered Iris's screams.

Victoria's head was flung to the side and, with her free hand, Tanya twisted her head completely around and let go. Her head teetered for what seemed like eternity until it rolled off her shoulders and came flying to the ground, closely followed by the body.

Then, two things happened at once.

Iris broke free of Emmett and kicked him to the side where he fell, limp, once again.

And Adrien grabbed the boulder that Edward had landed on, positioning it right over his head.

It came crashing down on Edward's face.

My body was trembling and I couldn't stop my legs from straightening themselves. I couldn't stop my feet from running to him…

But Jacob held me back.

"Don't," he shouted, voice hoarse.

Adrien was picking the boulder up again and pounding it on Edward's body once again. My heart was slowly shattering and I couldn't even comprehend Jacob's word.

"I need to - I have to - " my hand reached out and I snarled at Jake when he pulled me against him. "Let me go!"

"No, I wont," he growled into my ear. "I wont let you get yourself killed. Sam's pack is coming right now and - "

"I'm _dying_," I screamed, snapping my head up to look him straight into the eyes. I was frenzied, not thinking clearly. I couldn't formulate my words, so instead, I said anything and everything that came to my mind, wishing that he would understand.

"Can't you see?" I panted, pleading. "I need to help him. I'm dying, he's dying, he's hurt, can't live… need."

"You'll get yourself _killed_."

"What's the difference?" I screeched, looking out into the field again. Edward was slowly getting up and it seemed as if every inch of his body was bruised.

Then Adrien ruthlessly slammed the boulder on him again.

"I can't live if he's dead!"

Jake held me still. Still. Still not understanding. He clutched my face with one large hand.

"And I can't live if you die!" he shouted at me.

His words were loud but they were still muted by the rolling thunders created by the darkness of Dorian's mind.

I looked at his face. His pleading face, begging me to not be foolish, not be rash.

Oh, Jacob.

Hours, years, and lifetimes passed that I stared into his eyes. But my lover was out there, dying.

I reached up and held my best friend's face in my hands. He bent his head and I tiptoed up, pressing an urgent kiss to his forehead, his nose, his cheek.

"I'll love you always," I whispered into his ear, "but I gotta go. He needs me."

And with that, I broke free of his hold and rushed into the meadow. Rushed into the middle of the burning pits in Hell. Rushed to my other half.

"Bella, no!" I heard my Edward gasp out as he caught a glimpse of me, but I paid him no heed as I lunged at Adrien.

The boulder dropped from his hands and onto the ground as I leapt onto him. His eyes barely got the chance to widen in surprise before I grabbed his head in my hands and twisted as quickly and as fiercely as I could.

The strength of my old human blood and my newness aided me and right there, right in my hands, right in front of me… Adrien's head twisted clean off his shoulders, just as neatly as Victoria's had when Tanya beheaded her.

I stared.

Shock froze me and I kept staring and staring in horror.

Two strong arms enveloped me and I collapsed into Edward as he held me right there in the middle of battle.

Before I got to revel in the feeling that he was there, _alive_, or as alive as he could be, a voice reverberated violently through the meadows.

"DON'T!"

All fighting stop and turned to stare at the owner of the voice.

Dorian.

He was staring at Iris and Tanya, the latter crouched down and the former holding her index finger out, her mouth open, curled up into an almost smile that didn't completely form.

Iris turned to Dorian and a look of disbelief clouded her features.

"_What?_" she hissed.

Dorian took a step closer to them.

"Don't do it," he ordered, a threat dripping from every syllable.

Iris stared at Tanya, who's eyes were widened and fixed on Dorian's approaching form.

"But she's the _enemy_," Iris protested.

"And I'm telling you to _lower your arm_," Dorian hissed, his voice soft and deadly.

"Dorian, what are you doing?" Felix asked, walking towards him.

"Don't question me."

"Dorian - "

Iris interrupted Felix with a callous laugh. "I know what this is about," she said, cruelly, lowering her arm to rest both hands on her hips. "She's your little lover, isn't she?"

"You will not harm her," he said, not answering her question.

For a few seconds, all was quiet. Then, with a quick scan of the surroundings - Adrien and Victoria dead, the rest of us tired, some limping - Dorian nodded and announced, "This battle is over."

"No," Iris laughed, shaking her head. "This battle is to the death. I see some still standing."

"You - "

"No, don't interrupt me," she cut Dorian off. His eyes narrowed and his back straightened up. Every so often, I caught him casting worried glances at Tanya, who was still crouched down in a vulnerable position.

"You're either with us or against us," Iris continued. "I know you have the power in you to strike every single vampire right now dead. We do not need Adrien or Victoria to win this battle. You have the strength and the ability to end it all right now."

"And you know that - "

"Oh, you will," Iris cut him off, then with a swift motion, pointed her index finger at Tanya once more. "Or she's frozen for life."

Dorian's face tensed up as her words dawned on him.

"It's your decision," she smirked, her arm unwavering. "It's her… or us."

A hushed silence fell upon us all as we all turned our eyes to Dorian. He only had eyes for Tanya.

"If I do what you're asking me to do," he said slowly, never taking his gaze off of his love. "We will take Tanya with us - keep her safe."

Before Iris could respond, Tanya snapped her head up.

"Don't be a fool," she hissed at him. "Just walk away. Let her freeze me and just _walk away_."

"Tanya - "

"You think I'll be happy if you spare me?" she spat out. Thunder rumbled all around, deafening us.

"Make your choice!" Iris yelled. "A, kill them and spare your little girlfriend. B, walk away and your girlfriend will live her life as an ice cube."

In the distance, a wolf howled and suddenly, a maniacal smile spread across Dorian's lips.

"I choose C, none of the above," he sang out and then, the skies opened up and hell came crashing down.

Overhead, the clouds swirled and the wind howled and down fell rain, hail, pebbles as sharp as knives. Teltale signs of a tornado rapidly came together.

Dorian rushed at Iris and knocked her to the ground before she could do anything at all.

"Run!" he shouted.

Edward's arms were suddenly pulling at my armpits and I felt myself being propelled from the ground. From the far end of the field, I saw Rosalie and Alice along with the werewolves appear - they had caught the tail end of the battle. Rosalie was running towards Emmett, who was still lying on the ground, still as a statue.

_Run, Emmett_, I commanded as Edward pulled me away. _Run._

And Emmett ran next to Rosalie as we made a mad dash out of the forest.

As I reached the edge of the clearing I looked back to see Tanya still standing there. Her hair flowed back behind her, glorious, and she made no motion to escape.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Dorian growled at her when he realized that she hadn't left. "Run, damnit. Run!"

"Dorian, what - "

"It's the only way," he said, his eyes bright as they stared into hers. "It has to be this way."

"Why - "

"I can't explain, there's no time. Love, you need to get out of here."

Bolts of lightening after bolts of lightening seemed to strike the earth at once and the tornado forming in the sky screeched and roared its triumph, threatening the world.

"We need to go," Edward shouted. "If we don't, we'll be destroyed by that."

He pointed at the monster in the clouds. Black dust poured down and slammed into our faces. The trees surrounding us suddenly caught fire, quickly setting ablaze the entire night. The wolf pack howled as they stormed out of the clearing, blazes upon blazes of angry fire chasing them into the darkness.

"Isn't it all in the mind?" I asked, my voice choking, not wanting to leave Tanya behind. From above, a flaming tree branch cracked and plunged to the ground. Edward pushed me out of the way as it landed between us, too close for comfort. He jumped over it and grabbed my hand.

"Yes, it is, but if you die in your mind, then you're really not living at all," he shouted, pulling me away. "That's why we need to leave. _Now_."

Yet I still hesitated, staring out into the clearing at the only three vampires who remained - Tanya, Dorian, and Iris who was screaming her lungs out, pinned under Dorian's strong hold. Felix had already made a run for it.

Tanya stared at Dorian for a fraction of a second, then rushed to him and pressed a long, burning kiss to his mouth. He stumbled back, surprised, still managing to hold Iris down as he kissed her back.

"I love you," Tanya whispered, her voice intense and sorrowful. Her hands held on to the back of his neck. "I always have."

"I love you too," he smiled weakly. The tornado faltered and he looked up at the sky. Suddenly, it was going at full force again, even stronger than before. He brought his eyes back to Tanya's face before swallowing and whispering, "Goodbye, love."

"This isn't goodbye," she shouted at him, holding him tighter.

He looked at her long and hard, then nodded.

"Fine," he leaned forward to capture her lips again. When they parted, he pressed his forehead against hers. "This wont be goodbye."

"This is just hello, right?" Tanya's voice was pleading as she hugged him fully. Over her shoulder, I saw the pained look in his eyes. A pained, heartbroken expression that Tanya would never see, because when she pulled back, his lips were smiling again.

Rosalie ran back into the clearing and yanked Tanya's arm, pulling her away from her lover.

"Let's go!"

And then we all raced back to the edge of the forest where sanity promised us sanctuary.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Whew. A lot more can be put into this chapter, but I'm completely wiped. I changed their battle sequence a million times before I finally decided on this.

So I lied - this isn't the last chapter. There's going to be another chapter to wrap things up and put in some explanations (i.e. Dorian's actions, etc), then an epilogue which _might _surprise some people.

People might not be interested in finishing this since Eclipse is out already (my plan to finish this didn't really work out the way I thought it would), but I'm definitely going to complete it. Promise!

Now,… about Eclipse.

* * *

**Spoiler warning**… if you haven't read Eclipse, stop reading this.

* * *

Okay, my thoughts on the new book in comparison to Burn Beautiful. I'm rather pleased to say that many of the things that happened in Eclipse paralleled to what I predicted in Burn Beautiful.

1. The Cullens and the werewolves joined together against a common enemy.

2. The common enemy did include a rogue vampire clan started by Victoria. In Eclipse, she was the leader - but in BB, her rule was usurped by the Aurelians and I couldn't care less, because I still think Dorian's awesome .

3. Edward and Bella totally want each other, haha. Except Ms. Meyer refrained them from actually taking the next step.

4. The Volturi did make a brief appearance in both of our stories!

5. Bella accepted Edward's proposal - finally.

The main difference between our stories was that in mine, Bella actually changed into a vampire.

The one thing I DID NOT expect, however, was the Bella and Jacob development in Eclipse. And I really don't want to say anything more to that matter because I'm still not sure what to think of it. All I know is that I like Jacob even more and really don't want him to be hurt. I feel like jumping into the book and screaming "I'm here, Jake!! Fall in love with me!!" haha.

Needless to say, after reading Eclipse, it'll be very difficult for me to continue writing this, since Stephenie Meyer's writing is so much better than mine and it's hard to get HER developments out of my head.

One thing, though... I do think that the Bella that matured in my story took a very different turn than the Bella in her story and I can safely see them as two completely (or not so completely) different people and regard the Bella I wrote as "my" Bella and the Bella in Eclipse as "Her" Bella or the "Original" Bella. The reason I'm saying this is because I've come to like the Bella I've written far more than the original character, NOT because I think that I'm in any way superior to Stephenie Meyer, but because I've come to see "my" Bella as my own character ... which means that it will be close to impossible for me to write anything set after Eclipse.

Burn Beautiful has become so real to me that when I was reading Eclipse, it felt as if I were thrown into a completely different world - as if I were reading something completely apart from the original series. I think it's because I put way too much effort into Burn Beautiful, and because of that, everything else Meyer writes will just... not be the same.

She's a much better author than I am, for sure, but I just can't see the characters the same way anymore! I think that's the big problem with writing Fanfiction. Your fantasies become what you wish would happen and when your wishes don't come true, you become disappointed.

And that was what Eclipse was for me. It was _almost_ as good as what I wanted it to be... but in the end, it was just a disappointment. I did not get the sense of satisfaction and/or closure that I wanted to have.

... with that said, expect the next chapter to come out... probably next week. The epilogue will probably be out at the same time. Yay for double updates!


	26. Author's Note

NEVERMIND -

I just had a spurt of inspiration and am currently rewriting the last chapter and epilogue as we speak.

It'll be a million times better than it currently is.

Love,

Effection


	27. Breathe

(this is the edited last chapter. It's about 4x as long as the other one.)

**Ch. 26: Breathe**

The brilliance of the flames clashed against the black sky and as we fell back - at the edge of the forest - all we could do was stare on in awe. The fire seemed to reach the heavens as the single tornado in the skies met it and together, they mingled as one, terrible, beautiful funnel of reds, yellows, oranges.

My hand clutched at Edwards and he wrapped both arms around me as I struggled to get closer to him.

Beside me, Tanya was staring, open-mouthed, disbelieving at the flames powerful enough to demolish an entire city, an entire _world_.

We couldn't look away. It was impossible to tear our eyes away from such an entrancing sight - the forest gone up in an angry monster of fire.

"It's over," I whispered to myself, not really sure if it was or not. I felt cool lips press lightly against the back of my neck.

"Not yet," Edward murmured, "But soon."

As soon as the last word escaped his mouth, the fire disappeared, the thundering silenced, and the rain ceased. The hell on earth vanquished itself and everything was as it was. The suddenness of the change shocked me. What just happened?

And then I realized. Either Dorian had released his control of our delusions or…

I didn't have to look towards Tanya to know that she had fallen to the ground.

"He's gone."

* * *

"I don't understand," Sam repeated, a growl emphasizing each syllable. "What do you mean there was a storm? And fire? Did I miss something crucial, here? Have you all gone completely mad?"

As the last of the fire vanished before our eyes, the wolves had bounded forth from the forest, angry and demanding explanations. When Carlisle had told them that it was done, they were skeptical.

"I went over this all quite thoroughly," Carlisle kept his voice level as he looked the wolf pack leader in the eye. "Dorian's power destroyed everything, all of them. In their minds, they have died in the virtual firestorm. In other words,… they are gone."

Sam paused, taking a long minute to digest Carlisle's words. And again, he shook his head.

"Tell me," he said, baring his front teeth, "Does this Dorian's power destroy his body? I suppose him and those other blood-thirsty killers just, what, vanished into thin air? Did you check to see if their bodies are lying there? Are they _truly _dead, Carlisle?"

Silence waded in and out among us. Everything had happened so quickly, I hadn't stopped to think that there might have been…

"So you don't know," Sam declared, glancing back at his pack members, who nodded in agreement.

"I thought we made it clear – "

"Oh yes," his voice rumbled, forehead wrinkling into a glare. "You've made it very clear, Carlisle. You've made it _excruciatingly _clear that the lot of you took off the instant things got heated. You've made it _perfectly _clear that you _don't know for sure_ that those other blood-suckers aren't about to rise and rampage through my town."

Carlisle looked away, speechless, and my heart fell an inch. I looked around at what was left of us. Scratched up with ashen faces, bags extra dark and heavy around our eyes… I looked over at Emmett…

Emmett, who was standing dumbly beside Rosalie, not moving. That familiar glisten in his eyes was dimmed and for the first time in all the years I've known him, he looked exactly like a corpse. A stone dead body.

Sam's growl broke me away from my thoughts.

"This is typical," he snarled, and I could see the hair growing from his arms as he started his transformation back to a wolf. "You dirty bloodsuckers march around, leaving this town in chaos, and look who's going out to do the cleanup. You'll know when this is _truly _over."

With a snap and a short howl, he bounded on four paws into the forest, leading his pack of werewolves to finish what we had started.

Tanya stared after them. "Are they going to…" she started, voice cracking.

Rosalie glanced at her and nodded, her own voice flat and monotonous: "They're going to rip them all to shreds."

* * *

"Fix him."

Those were the first words Rosalie said to me when we stepped foot into the house.

"I'm not sure if that's – "

"Fix. Him," she repeated, emphasizing both syllables. I looked at Emmett, then looked at Rosalie, who was currently clutching at his arm. Her eyes silently pleaded with me.

"Look, dear, I don't think Bella _can_ do much for Emmett," Esme put a hand on Rosalie's shoulder, but Rosalie jerked away from her.

"_Don't touch me_," she hissed, teeth clenched, eyes locked on mine. "She can do _something_. _She's _the one with all that power, right?"

When I didn't say anything, her gaze darkened. "You must have known," she growled. "You should have known it would come to this. You can try."

Finally, I nodded, knowing that it would be useless to argue with her.

Edward's steady hand on my shoulder was a small comfort as I directed Emmett into the living room with my mind.

_Sit_, I instructed, and he immediately sat on the sofa.

The rest of the Cullens gathered around me as I kneeled in front of Emmett, taking both of his hands into my own.

_Emmett, please look at me._

His head lifted slightly and his eyes rolled around until they met mine. I bit back my gasp. His eyes were looking into mine, yet there was nothing inside.

"What's he doing?" Rosalie gasped, seeing his tiny shift in movement.

"I instructed him to look at me," I told her, and she deflated.

_Emmett, please, we need you. Be yourself again_, I thought as hard as I could, pressing my thumbs into his palms. His eyes remained vacant, an empty shell of what used to be so lively…

"Come _on_, Emmett," Rosalie whispered into his ear, sitting down next to him. She brushed his hair away from his eyes and squeezed his broad shoulder.

_Emmett, be yourself, you're not frozen anymore!_

Nothing.

_Emmett, break free. Please break free._

He didn't even blink his eyes as he stared blankly at me.

"Come back," Rose's voice cracked as she pleaded with him. "Come back to me. Please? Please come back."

She turned to me, "Are you doing anything?" her voice rising slightly.

"I'm trying!"

She turned back to Emmett. "Can you even hear me?" her voice dropped to a hoarse whisper and she ran a finger down his square jaw.

_Emmett, can you hear her?_

No reaction.

"I don't think this is going to work, dear," Esme said softly, shaking her head as she rubbed Rosalie's back.

"Alice!" Rosalie's neck almost snapped from the speed of it's turn. Alice looked up, surprised.

"What? … Oh," she realized what Rosalie was going to ask her and her shoulders slumped. Her small frame seemed to cave inside itself as she shook her head. "Believe me, I tried. I didn't see anything."

"What do you mean you didn't see _anything_?" Rosalie screeched. "Are you telling me he's _nothing_? He'll be _nothing _for the rest of eternity? No!"

"What if we found somebody with Iris's power?" Jasper interrupted, looking towards Carlisle. Rosalie shifted her attention to Carlisle, who was rubbing his chin, thoughtfully.

Carlisle chose his next words carefully. "That _might_ work," he paused, "But is it probable? It could take ages to find somebody with her exact power and who's to know if it would even work correctly?"

"Since when would that stop us?" Rosalie snarled, visibly frustrated. "We _have _forever, don't we? I will do whatever it takes to bring him back."

"So would the rest of us," Carlisle spoke softly, gently, trying to comfort her, but it didn't pacify Rosalie, who's fist was clenched tightly.

She ignored him and focused her eyes on me. My chest tightened at the intensity of her glare and I couldn't help thinking if some part of me were to blame for Emmett's condition. Her nose flared as she glared. "Try something else!" she demanded, clenching Emmett's hand. "Anything, try _something_."

"I _am _trying," I sighed, tired both physically and mentally.

"Why is nothing _working?_"

"I don't know, Rosalie!" I threw my arms up, dropping Emmett's hands into his lap. "I'm sorry, I just… don't know."

Her eyes softened and her next words were whispered. "I just want to know that there's some part of him still inside. That he's not completely gone."

I nodded, racking my mind. My eyes drifted back to Emmett, who was still looking straight at me.

_Can you even see me?_ I asked him, not expecting a response. I racked my brain. My eyes narrowed as they stared into his. A small flicker. Was it? _Emmett, are you there?_

And though he didn't say anything, didn't do anything, I somehow felt as if I already knew the answer. _Always_ knew the answer.

And out of the blue, a thought drifted into my mind, a thought as fleeting as the wind and before I could doubt it, I pushed myself forward.

_Emmett, if you can hear me, tell me what you want to say._

"Emmett, please," I whispered, repeating the thought again and again, pushing it into his mind with everything I had.

At first, nothing happened.

Then, his mouth moved and a strange noise came from his lips.

Rosalie's eyes widened.

"Did you say something?" she inhaled sharply, grabbing his chin and forcefully tilting it towards her face.

_Say it again, say it louder._

His eyes met hers and he opened his mouth.

"I love you, Rose."

* * *

I was standing out on the porch, trying to get away from the mess that was inside the house. Jasper's arm had been badly injured and Alice was fussing over him. Carlisle was contacting the Volturi, most likely telling them that they had officially lost their guard. Rosalie was tending to Emmett, who was still just as frozen as ever.

There was a nagging feeling in my head that there was a way to help him and that the answer was _within_ me, but no matter how hard I tried to grasp at it, it was still out of arm's reach.

The screen door opened and I turned in time to see Tanya swiftly walking down the porch steps with her luggage in hand.

"You're leaving?" I asked and she stopped in her tracks. She turned around to face me and shrugged, eyes hidden behind mirrored sunglasses.

"Looks like," she answered, putting her suitcases down and pushing her sunglasses up to the top of her head. "Battle's over with and all that jazz."

"The wolves haven't come back yet," I told her, shifting my weight from one foot to another. "You don't want to wait?"

A soft snort came from her nose, and she rolled her eyes slightly. Her head turned to face the oncoming sunrise. "Would there even be a point?" she asked. "I don't need them to confirm what I already know. To tell you the truth, if they don't tell me, I can at least..."

Her voice trailed off. In the distance, we heard the victorious howling of a wolf and some happy yips following it. I almost thought I recognized Jacob's playful snarl, but then dismissed it. As if I could tell actually make out his snarl from all the others. Tanya glanced at the forest and for a second, it seemed as if she was about to change her mind, but then she shook her head.

"No," she sighed, pursing her lips. She took her sunglasses off her head and pushed a hand through her thick, golden hair. The sunlight gleamed as it bounced off of her skin, casting ghost reflections everywhere. "Hell with this place. I just need to get away."

I nodded, understanding.

"Are you going to be alright?"

"Of course," she answered. I raised a skeptical eyebrow.

_I don't believe you_, I projected to her, shoving my hands into my pockets.

Her forehead scrunched together and she glared at me.

"What's it to you, anyways?" she asked, raising her chin.

"Look, Tanya, I know – "

"No, you really don't," she interrupted me. "We're not _friends_, Bella. You don't understand the half of it."

_I'm sorry_.

Tanya looked at me for a long second, then laughed softly, ruefully. "You've got to stop doing that," she said, then pointed at her head, "It's really trippy having someone else's thoughts in here besides my own."

_Sorry_… "I mean, sorry," I corrected myself, grinning a bit.

"Nah, it's all good," she grinned back, then quickly sobered. "And you're right. I'm not going to be alright. My heart's in a million pieces right now, but I guess that's life, you know? I'll manage."

"I'm sorry," I told her, feeling like a broken record for a split second. "So sorry."

"Yeah," her voice was soft. "So am I."

She picked up her suitcases and straightened. "Dorian and I - we were never meant to be," she said, giving me a small smile. Her eyes sparkled and for a moment, she looked almost human. Then, she put her sunglasses back over her eyes, ruining the illusion.

"I sat in front of the mirror for hours when we got back, trying to make myself cry," she told me. She bit down gently on her lip, as if deep in thought. "I don't know how to let everything out. I think when I get back home, I'm going to go hunt up something fierce."

"Will that make things better?" I asked, already knowing that it wouldn't.

She hesitated a split second before shaking her head, biting down harder on her trembling lower lip.

"No," her voice broke as she turned to stare out into the open space ahead of her. "But it'll feel damn good."

And with that, she turned around and headed towards her car. A hint of sun brushed along her hair; her bare arms and her pale skin matched the glitters of the sunrise.

* * *

I knew he was behind me before he even tried to speak and I couldn't help the inevitable smile from crawling up my lips. I turned to see Edward sigh and lean against the door leading into the house.

"Hey, you," I greeted him, my voice soft, almost hesitant. His face was tired and something about him seemed withdrawn. The circles under his eyes were dark and everything about his stance screamed weariness. And yet when he turned and saw me smiling at him, he smiled back.

He walked across the porch in two long strides and wrapped his strong arms around me. I sighed, content, trapped between him and the metal railing of the porch. My entire body shivered as I breathed in his sweet scent.

"I can't believe it's over," I sighed, pressing a light kiss on his neck.

"Yes," he chuckled and the rumbling of his chest made my heart expand. "One battle fought, an entire war to go."

Now, _that_ made me frown.

"Well excuse me, Mr. Pessimist," I muttered, trying to push him away. His arms tightened and he pressed me closer against him.

"Just a joke, my Bella," he smiled, lifting my chin with a finger.

Our lips met and I closed my eyes, savoring the taste of him. It wasn't a long kiss by far, and when it ended, I kept my eyes closed and my arms clasped around his neck, unwilling to let him go.

"Can I tell you that I love you now?" I asked, remembering his words before the fight. I could feel him smiling against my skin. His lips brushed against my jawline until they reached my ear.

"Tell me," he commanded in a whisper and my entire body trembled when the cool air from his mouth hit my skin.

His hands moved from my waist to my hips, then up and under my shirt, feeling the skin of my back.

Before I could say the words, his mouth was back on mine and this time, the kiss was desperate, needy. Lips smashed against lips, tongue's entwining, teeth colliding. The metal rail dug against my back and my fingernails dug against the skin behind his neck, pulling him closer and closer to me.

The metal railing groaned and squeaked from our combined weights and the next thin I knew, it had given way and we were tumbling to the ground below the porch.

I laughed as my back slammed against the dewy grass and I could feel Edward's own mild amusement reverberating from inside him.

He lifted his head up for a second and turned, surveying the damage we did from the porch.

"Must have been some kiss," he commented, turning back to me and grinning. His sparkling amber eyes searched mine and I lightly traced over his brow with a finger.

"I love you," I said, smiling up at him. "More than anything."

He didn't say anything at first, taking his time looking at me. I could see the happiness and wonderment in his eyes and cupped the side of his face in my palm.

"You know," he started, lifting an amused eyebrow. "We never _did _get married yet."

I rolled my eyes and groaned.

"Don't mention this to Rosalie _nor_ Alice," I said. "They'll go crazy."

He just kept staring at me with a stupid smile on his face. I laughed again, feeling relief billow out from within me.

"What?" I asked him, still laughing.

"I love you, too, Bella," he said before leaning down to kiss me again.

* * *

The werewolves called us out in the afternoon with loud yelps and howls outside the house door. The rambunctious pack was sizzling with excitement and pride, running around, chasing each other's tails.

When we opened the door to see what the ruckus was about, they stopped and immediately transformed into their human forms.

Carlisle stepped forward first, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Did you find the bodies?" he asked.

I felt a pair of eyes on me and looked over to see Jacob staring straight at me with a slight smile. When our eyes met, he grinned at me and I grinned back. I could sense Edward tensing up beside me, but he didn't say anything or do anything to object. Realizing how hard he was trying to be okay with my friendship with Jacob, I reached out and weaved my fingers through his. He glanced over at me and I gave him a reassuring smile.

"We found four full bodies," Sam answered Carlisle, an animalistic twist to his mouth. "And yes, we took care of them."

I shuddered, not wanting to imagine what he meant by "took care of."

"Only four?" Carlisle asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes," Sam confirmed. He paused, apparently in thought. When he finally spoke again, he was chuckling, "I guess I can't say _full_ bodies. Two of them were beheaded, a red-headed female and a long-haired male, it seems. Very nice. Heads twisted clean off. Must say I'm impressed. The other two were still in-tact. One was a blonde female and the other was a male."

"But there were five of them," Carlisle pressed on. Sam looked puzzled.

"Five, you say?"

"Three males, two females."

"We found only - "

He was interrupted by Jacob, who took a step forward.

"Actually, there _were _five," Jacob said softly. Sam turned to face him, seeming surprised.

"How - "

"The fifth one… we didn't need to do anything to it," he shrugged. "It was shriveled up. Nothing but a layer of skin and a pile of bones."

_Dorian_.

"Ah," Sam seemed to remember what Jacob was talking about. "Yes."

He turned back to Carlisle. "Yes, there were five. The last one… I don't know what happened to the last one, but we wont need to be worrying about it."

Carlisle nodded and smiled, wanly.

"So, I suppose the danger's over now," he said.

Sam narrowed his eyes and suddenly, all the werewolves were staring at me.

"We're still keeping an eye on that one," he told Carlisle, never taking his gaze off me.

With that, the wolf pack turned and leapt into the air, turning into wolves before even landing on the ground. I watched them bound away.

"Bella," Jacob called my name and I realized he hadn't left with them. I watched as he drew closer.

"Hi Jake," I smiled down him from where I stood on the porch. He stood there for a good while, just looking at me. Finally, he broke out into a grin and shrugged.

"I'll see you around then," he said, beaming, before turning around to catch up with the rest of his pack.

Carlisle and Esme were the first to turn around and head back into the house. Rosalie wasn't far behind them, most likely heading up to her room to be with Emmett.

Alice, Jasper, and Edward hung around with me and we all stood there on that porch, gazing at the setting sun, realizing all that was said and done.

"Well," Alice was the first to speak. "That was something, huh."

"More than _something_," Edward agreed with her.

"I don't know about you, but I have this sudden urge to splurge," she giggled, catching my eye. "How about tomorrow it's me, you, mall, and Edward's car?"

I squeezed Edward's hand and pulled him closer to me so I could rest my head on his shoulder.

"Sound's like a plan," I agreed, too exhausted to argue and tell her to save her money.

"What about you guys? What are your plans for tomorrow?" she asked. Jasper and Edward shared an exasperated, yet content look.

For a while, we stayed there on that porch, talking freely about plans, the future, ideas and topics that would've seemed unimportant just a day ago. A burden had been lifted off of our shoulders and as I listened to my new family members laugh among themselves, I couldn't help but bask in the wonder of it all.

It was hard to imagine that just twenty-four hours earlier, we weren't even sure if there _would _be a tomorrow.

I didn't even notice when Alice and Jasper left us until Edward buried his nose in my hair and breathed in slowly.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, his voice a cold sort of comfort.

"Mm," I exhaled, leaning into him. "Everything. Nothing."

"Cryptic as always, then."

"As always?" I gave him a look as I sighed. "Isn't that your department?"

"Perhaps."

I lightly pinched his arm and he yanked it away.

"Hey!" he seemed affronted. "What was that for?"

"That hurt?" I asked, surprised and a bit pleased with myself.

"Well, obviously! You're a vampire now, please remember."

The juvenile glower on his face made me laugh.

"Aw, you big baby," I pulled his arm back and caressed it, laughing. I brought it to my lips and kissed it gently. "Better?"

"Much," he relaxed again, nuzzling my neck affectionately.

A long minute passed by and I sighed, happy to be exactly where I was, in the arms of the vampire who loved me. I must have made a sound, because Edward looked at me, and asked "Did you say something?"

"No. I'm just happy."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. We won, didn't we?"

And his answer was lost in the beauty of the setting sun. Inside of my heart, I knew that the answer wasn't really _yes_. But at the same time, it wasn't really _no_.

In a surreal, victorious way, I knew that everything would always work out as it was supposed to. There were so many problems ahead, yet there were so many things that would be okay. There would never be enough time, and yet there would _always _be enough time.

And in that middle zone, where the balance sometimes tipped right and sometimes tipped left, Edward and I were together. And fantastically, that was just fine with me.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So that's it! I can't believe it either. I do like this ending a lot better than the other one. Yes, we still don't know what happens to Emmett. The epilogue will take place about a year or two after this chapter and you'll know how everything resolves.

I just feel that the extraneous stuff that I need to resolve, yet haven't yet, is just that... extraneous. Do you really need me to spell out what happens to Charlie? No. It'll be explained in the epilogue because I do feel that people need closure, but I don't think that it deserves it's own chapter in light of everything that's happened in this story.

However, I do have this inspiration to write how Emmett gets better and I _will_ write it... just not in this story.

I'm going to write a one-shot titled "A Walk in The Garden" (well, that's what it's titled right now... it IS very likely to change) that will probably be about the length of "For You, my Love" (for the people who've read that) and it will be about Bella's "walk" in Emmett's mind, finding a way to cure him. In that one-shot, you'll find how Bella's power develops into something that is truly great and how she can use it to help Emmett.

I'm super excited. It's just... too long for this already very-long story and it really doesn't fit. Maybe you can think of it as a very short sequel.

Okay, so be looking out for the **_Epilogue_** in a few days!

* * *


	28. Epilogue for real this time

**Author's Note:** Here's the edited epilogue as promised!

* * *

**Epilogue**

_**One year later**_**.**

I leaned back, eyeing the newly acquired fire painted onto Emmett's red Porsche. He stood a few feet away, grinning with pride. Rosalie was next to him, looking as flummoxed as I was feeling.

"I don't know how to say this," I started, glancing at him, then the car, then back at him.

"She's a beauty, right?" he beamed, obviously waiting for me to agree with him. Rosalie cocked her head, inspecting the fire stripes.

She shook her head, "I'm not driving around in that."

Emmett feigned a gasp, pretending to sound hurt.

"Surely, you don't mean that!" he clasped his hands over his heart, falling to his knees in front of her.

"I'm serious Emmett McCarty Cullen," she put her hands on her hips, glaring down at him. "That thing is too red, too loud, too obnoxious, ostentatious, flamboyant, … I'm not getting in that thing. Ever."

I laughed as Emmett began pleading with her, doing his best to sell the car that was, in all truthfulness, very red, loud, obnoxious, and all of the above.

Before I had a chance to get a word in, I was distracted by the smooth, cool lips that belonged to a certain vampire who had crept up behind me. I closed my eyes as Edward snaked his arms around my waist and pressed a long kiss to the what would have been the pulse-point of my neck.

"Mm," I sighed as he kissed his way up to my ear and nipped at my earlobe.

"Hi, beautiful," he whispered and I smiled, loving how affectionate he was being this morning.

"Hey, handsome," I whispered back, turning around in his arms. His lips trailed down to the base of my throat and trailed short kisses along my collarbones.

I took a step backwards as he took a step forward and within seconds, our lips were locked and he was bending me backwards against the hood of Emmett's Porsche. His lips moved languidly over mine as his tongue lazily danced with mine. My hands were buried in his hair and his hands were crawling over my skin, under my shirt. Just as I was getting into the heat of the moment, thinking to myself that I would never, ever trade Edward's kisses for anything in the world –

"GET THE HELL OFF MY CAR, YOU HORNBAGS!" Emmett's booming voice rang out and made me jump up. My head smacked into Edward's and he fell backwards from the impact, sending me tumbling to the ground with him.

"Oomph," I heard him gasp as my elbow jabbed him in the ribs.

"Oh!" my eyes widened and I scrambled to get off of him, but his hands were suddenly stopping my movements and stilling me.

"Don't do that," he groaned and I turned my neck, confused. His eyes were squeezed together in a way that might have been in pain or immense pleasure. It wasn't until I felt something that might have either been a belt buckle or something a lot bigger jab me in the pelvic bone that I realized I'd been rubbing against his crotch as I was trying to get up.

"Edward!" I exclaimed, scrunching my eyebrows together in a mock glare.

"Just a man, love," he smirked at me, opening one eye at a time.

Before I could retort, a shadow fell over me and I looked up to see Emmett glaring at the both of us.

"Get a room," He grumbled, seeming a bit peeved. "And by room, I mean an _actual _room. _Not_ the hood of my car!"

"Emmett?" I pushed myself off of Edward, ignoring his sounds of protest, and stood up.

He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Remember who was the one that helped you with your little problem? The one who went into your head and weaved through all those nasty, dirty, - "

"Stop!" he commanded, eyes widening.

"Exactly," I smirked, proud of myself. "if I were you, I'd be more concerned about self-preservation than my precious, HotRod wannabe car. In other words – "

"Okay, I get it," he glared at me, pouting a bit and looking like the overgrown child he was.

I grinned. One point for Bella, negative fifty for Emmett.

It was amazing how we were able to joke about things now. Just six months ago, the atmosphere in the house had been tense and heavy as all of us searched for a way to unfreeze Emmett, so to speak. The source of Iris's power was strong and even though she had died, he had remained just as frozen as he was when she had pointed that dreaded finger at his forehead.

Carlisle had gone as far as to pay the Volturi a visit, but they had staunchly refused to help.

In the end, I was the one who was able to help him and even that was a month long process that consisted of a certain walk through his brain among other things. And though that "walk" was what brought him back in the long run, I'd picked up some information about him that he apparently preferred I hadn't. All in all, it worked out for everybody. Emmett was back and I had a vault filled with blackmail that would probably never run out.

This past year had been good for all of us. No, it wasn't the perfect happily ever ending that I thought it'd be back when I was still a human. Edward _was_ right. Turning me didn't really solve anything. Every problem that it seemed to solve brought about tenfold _more _problems that we had to deal with. I had originally thought that after our fight, everything would work itself out. Boy, was I wrong.

I wasn't physically able to visit Charlie without wanting to bite his head off – literally – until Christmas, six months after our fight. Even then, I had all of the Cullens go with me to make sure I wouldn't do anything I'd end up regretting. The event that had happened before then was an event I never wanted to go through again.

* * *

**_One Year Earlier – a week after the big fight_**

"They're all gone," Edward laughed, turning towards me. We were both in his room and on our backs, unable to move. I was still coming down from the euphoric after-sex spell when I heard the delicious sound of his laugh.

"Huh?" I asked, not comprehending.

He gave me a crooked grin and rolled to his side, resting on his elbow as he hovered over my body, half-covered by the rug.

"Everybody left," he chuckled, dropping a kiss on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed him down to me, loving the feeling of his full weight over me. It had taken a lot to finally convince Edward that, _no_, I wasn't exactly breakable anymore. And after he was convinced… let's just say it made us both _extremely _happy.

"Why?" I asked, not particularly caring. "Where'd they go?"

"Mm," he moaned softly, closing his eyes as my hands kneaded the area between his shoulder blades. "They went out. We were making too much noise."

I laughed at that, pushing him over so that he was on his back. I pressed myself against his side and ran a carefree hand down his lean torso.

"How far did they go?" I asked, grinning mischievously. He looked at me curiously, raising an eyebrow. "Let's make them go farther."

With that, I climbed over him, straddling his waist, ready for round six or seven. Before my lips could meet his, I froze, recognizing a faint scent that was tingling my nose. My head lifted, directed at the window, and my nostrils flared.

"Edward…" my fingers tightened around his arms and my entire body stiffened. He looked at my face, confused for a split second, before breathing in deeply and realizing what was about to happen.

"Oh…"

Before he could say anything, I was flying towards the window, ready to crash through it to get to that sweet, sweet scent. It was calling me, _beckoning _me.

I could almost feel the warm, thick human blood pumping through those veins. I could almost _taste _it. The vision of dark red, dripping from my tongue, down my throat…

"No, Bella!"

Mid-jump, he intersected me and sent me crashing to the floor. I got caught in the rug and he pinned me down to the ground, crushing one hand over my nose and mouth.

"Don't breathe it!" he commanded in a harsh whisper. "Don't let it get to you!"

I could feel my eyes burning as I flailed against him, wanting to get away from him. He didn't understand. He _couldn't _understand the need, the want, the desire…

"Bella, NO!" he slammed my back to the floor as I began to get back up. "Fight this."

I could feel the ferocious snarl climbing up my throat, but it was muffled by his strong hand. If I'd still been a person, I had no doubt I'd be suffocated right about now…

_Person_.

_Human._

_Human blood._

And then my half-frenzied mind remembered. Emmett must have still been down there! He could do what I wanted. _I _could control him.

My eyes widened and just as a faint knock sounded on the front door, Edward must have realized what I was thinking.

"You don't want to do that, Bella!" He growled at me, his fingers tightening over my nose and mouth.

_Emmett_.

"Dr. Cullen!" a familiar voice sounded through the front door.

All I could see was red. I thrashed around, fighting Edward, knowing that I would eventually throw him off. He slammed me back down and my head hit the floor with a resounding thud.

_Get him, Emmett_, I commanded with my mind.

The knocks persisted and grew louder.

_Emmett!_

"Sunnydale Police!" the familiar voice now sounded authoritative. I felt like smirking. The voice would be dead in less than one minute.

One of my arms were suddenly free and I punched Edward across the face as hard as I could. He went flying back and fell against his book shelves.

"No!" he roared as I got to my feet and headed towards the hallway, ready to let the man in to meet his death.

My mouth was watering and my vision was blurred. All I could see was pools and pools of blood.

The scent was calling to me, it was –

I froze.

There was something about the scent that I recognized. What was it?

I paused, racking my brain, trying to make sense of myself through the haze. It was that split second that three things happened at once.

One, Edward lunged through the air and landed on me, successfully bringing me down.

Two, Emmett slowly, but surely, was making a zombie-like bee-line for the front door.

Three, The front door burst down to reveal Charlie, flanked by what seemed to be all of his officers down by the station.

The moment I saw my father's face, I froze. Part of me was screaming to wrestle Edward off and jump at him, devour him. Another part of me was screaming, _No! Dad, no! Charlie, run!_

Charlie looked up and saw something that must have looked incredibly bad: a very naked Edward pinning me to the ground in what probably seemed like a violent gesture. And it didn't help that Edward's hand was covering my mouth and nose again.

"Get the hell off my daughter!" he shouted, ready to charge, but at that moment, Emmett's arms robotically reached out and caught him by the throat, gargling whatever else he had to say.

"No!" Edward shouted at Emmett. He was torn between keeping me down or going to yank Emmett away from Charlie.

Half of me started commanding Emmett to crush Charlie's neck, but then, half of me yelled at him to drop my father.

Emmett turned to me, looking confused.

Charlie's face was turning red as he tried to claw at Emmett's steel grip. The policemen behind him were shouting and drawing out their guns, most of them pointed at Emmett, some of them pointed at Edward and I.

I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to take the dump of emotions and thirst all mixed into one.

_Put him down, Emmett_!

_Break his neck!_

_No! Put him down, please!_

_Squeeze harder, then drain him dry!_

_No, he's for ME to drink!_

_Whatever, just…_

_PUT HIM DOWN_.

As if a miracle, Emmett's grip slackened and he set Charlie down, who immediately crumpled to the floor.

The uniformed men behind him were shouting for paramedics. Some of them were looking warily at Emmett, unsure what to make of him.

"Take him and leave," Edward shouted at them. His glare was fierce. "Don't be stupid, your guns wont work. Just take him. And leave."

There must have been something in his voice that made them listen, because they picked up the unconscious Charlie and hightailed it out of the door.

_No!_

I was dizzy. My eyes couldn't see anything. All I could comprehend was the thirst, but it was starting to recede, leaving me in a frenzied mess.

Cold hands caressed my face and I could feel the icy lips of my lover on my forehead.

* * *

**_Present – one year after the big fight_**

I shuddered, remembering the aftermath of that incident. Jacob had really pulled through and agreed to visit Charlie with Carlisle and Edward. It had been time for him to know the truth and because I couldn't tell him myself for fear of another "incident," they had done the job for me.

Needless to say, he wasn't particularly happy about the incident. When it was finally safe for me to visit him in person, he had looked at me through a stranger's eyes. It didn't take long for him to pull me into an embrace when he realized that it was still _me_, plain old, clumsy – it was a work in progress – Bella.

However, it took him a slightly longer time to feel safe around Emmett after I freed him from his stone-bodied imprisonment. I still didn't think Charlie felt at ease with him, judging by the way he got fidgety whenever Emmett was in close proximity.

Edward and I still hadn't completely sealed the deal. We had put a hold on the wedding date as Emmett was slowly pulling through and Charlie was getting used to the idea of having a vampire as a daughter.

We wanted to do it right. No wild, Vegas elopement, no whirlwind "I Do's." I wanted my father there, possibly even Renee, though she had yet to find out what I truly was, and most definitely every member of my new family. And, of course, I wanted Jacob there as well, though I wasn't sure if that plan would ever really come through.

He never quite stopped giving me those furtive looks, even as he met Olivia, a nice, quiet girl that seemed to admire him and love him with her whole being.

An arm wrapped around my waist and I smiled as I felt Edward's lip brush against my ear. His teeth tugged at my earlobe and I couldn't help the giggle from escaping my mouth.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, his lips grazing my cheek. My head tilted back and I felt his slow kisses along the underside of my jaw.

I guess it would be a good time to mention that after the big ordeal, our sex lives had blossomed. I always knew I wanted him, but after taking that one fatal sip, all I wanted was more and more and more. We spent weeks at a time on a premarital honeymoon where all that existed was heat, love, sloppy kisses, and desire so intense that no matter how many times it was sated, simmered up between us again. Not that either of us was complaining.

My hand trailed to the belt of his pants and he tensed, closing his eyes and whispering my name.

"I'll give you three guesses," I purred in his ear, pressing my body up against his.

His lips met mine fervently and both of us ignored the annoying protests coming from Emmett and Rosalie's direction.

I vaguely registered Emmett grumbling something that sounded like, "They're even worse than us," and laughed against Edward's mouth.

I pulled away and turned just in time to see Rosalie grab his hand. Without a word, both of them turned their backs on us and were speeding towards the forest, no doubt to do the same things I was already planning to do with Edward.

Suddenly, I was lifted off my feet. I let out a short shriek as Edward picked me up bridal style and swung me around several times. He laughed as I tightened my arms around his neck.

"I love, love, love, love, love you," I told him as soon as he dropped me to the ground.

He crossed his arms over his chest and stepped back, tilting his head and gave me a playful once-over.

"I suppose you'll do," he said, immediately bolting towards the house. His words registered and I was instantly on his tail, racing him to his room.

* * *

_**Somewhere not far away…**_

It was dark for so long that he almost didn't recognize the light. What was it, that sparkling glisten that seemed so far away? It was years above him, miles and miles away. A part of him reached for it. Which part of him was it? Could he move? Where was he? Who was he? _Shapes, shapes, dust, dust, darkness, so long, darkness, love, hate, fire…_

Incoherent thoughts danced through his mind, twirling and swirling until he thought he would scream. One word ran into another and each separate idea became interwoven with all the others, until he couldn't make sense of anything. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

_Something…_

_Need to do…_

_Need to find her…_

His throat was dry. _No… come back…_ the light was flickering in and out. It was cold, everything was cold.

_Breathe…_

No, don't need to breathe.

_Breathe…_

Can't, can't, too much darkness, not enough air.

_Try…_

Vampires don't breathe, vampires don't need breath, vampires, vampires…

_Tanya_…

And the light came rushing upon him and the sounds stuck in his voice came forth and escalated to a whisper. His voice, unused for ages and ages, generations of generations… husky.

"_Tanya_," he whispered again, repeating that name to himself as he squeezed his eyes shut. He was surrounded in blinding white and now he wished he had never climbed out of the darkness. _Tanya, Tanya, Tanya._

It was so familiar a sound, yet at the same time…

* * *

In a house that was miles and miles away, another vampire stood shock still, craning her neck towards the sky and listening to a voice she thought had died. A voice that seemed to be flying at her, within her, surrounding her.

_Tanya, Tanya, Tanya_.

Tanya's eyes widened as a familiar chill overtook her body. It was a familiar feeling, this pleasant tingle that ran down her spine, promising excitement and adventure. It was strange, though, because this tingle usually meant that a certain somebody was nearby.

She frowned and looked around.

She was surrounded by dark. Her nose flared as she took a deep breath in. There was a trace of someone familiar, someone she had once been closed to and loved. She blinked. Her frown deepened. She was alone, she was sure of it, and yet…

_Tanya, Tanya, Tanya._

Her head snapped to the right and her eyes widened.

"Dorian?"

* * *

**Author's Ending Note: **Wow. I'm really done with this.

Nothing is going to be changed from this point forward. I feel as if I should have finished this story a year ago and... well, I _should_ have. Besides the typical "I was too busy" excuse, I've got nothing.

I'm happy with how this turned out. I might write a one-shot detailing Emmett's recovery, but chances of that actually happening are slim. I'm breaking away from the world of fanfiction and starting to write original stories which, I hope, will be just as good if not better. If anybody is interested in my work, check out fictionpress. My username is also **effection** there.

Now, notes about this story:

I'm proud to say that this is the first story that I've completed where I outlined and planned everything beforehand. A few unexpected obstacles I ran into was the dilemma with Emmett after the fight. I can honestly say that I completely overlooked that when writing the scene and it wasn't until someone asked "what about Emmett?" that I realized my mistake.

Anyways, I'd like to thank all of my reviewers. You guys really stuck with me and I appreciate it. I don't think you realize how much your encouragement meant to me.

**_Shameless Plugs_**:

1. Some of you might know that I'm the administrator of **The Twilight Awards**. We just finished **Round 2** and **Round 2.5: The Romancetastic Round **and posted results up, so if you're in need of a good read, check it out! The link is: **twilightawards dot this-paradise dot com** (copy/paste then change the dots to periods)

2. If you like vampire fics in general, I'm starting a three-part novel that's being posted up in Fictionpress (username: effection) called _**The Darkest Hour**_ and I'm super excited about it! Here's the summary:

_As a Pureblood, Silver Devereux had one rule to follow: Do not create a Tainted Vampire. As a Tainted vampire, Jade also had one rule to follow: Do not fall in love with the Pureblood. Unfortunately, neither of them are very good at following rules._

It's based on the premise of a war between pureblood vampires and half-blood, aka "Tainted" or "Bitten" vampires. It's a romance, of course, between a Pureblood and a Tainted. The entire first book is written out; all that's left now is editing, filling out scenes, and adding transitions. If you're interested, you should check it out!

* * *


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